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Mars Dust Storm Seasons 3D Explorer vs Earth Perihelion and Aphelion 3D Explorer


Both pages teach a real orbital figure in one page load - 0 MB installed, USD 0, no account. The Mars Dust Storm Seasons 3D Explorer scrubs Mars's visibly egg-shaped orbit to show WHEN its dust-storm season happens and WHAT a global storm does to a rover; the Earth Perihelion and Aphelion 3D Explorer scrubs Earth's much rounder orbit to show the small, counter-intuitive distance swing behind Earth's seasons.


The numbers side by side

AspectMars Dust Storm Seasons ExplorerEarth Perihelion and Aphelion Explorer
Install size0 MB - runs in the browser0 MB - runs in the browser
PriceUSD 0USD 0
Orbital eccentricity0.09350.0167
Key figure2018 storm tau near Opportunity: about 10.8Extra solar flux at perihelion: about 7% more than at aphelion
What it variesDay-of-Mars-year slider (0-687), global-storm toggleDay-of-year slider (0-365), perihelion/aphelion jump buttons
What it answersWhen and why Mars gets a dust-storm seasonHow much Earth's Sun-distance actually varies over a year

Where the Mars Dust Storm Seasons Explorer wins

The Mars Dust Storm Seasons Explorer wins when the question is about WEATHER and MISSION RISK - it is the only page on the site that connects an orbit's shape to a real dust-storm season and a real rover mission ending.


Where the Earth Perihelion and Aphelion Explorer wins

The Earth Perihelion and Aphelion Explorer wins when the question is about a NEAR-CIRCULAR orbit - it shows why "closer to the Sun" does not mean "hotter" for Earth, a distinction Mars's far more eccentric orbit does not illustrate the same way.


A reasonable rule

As a reasonable rule, use the Mars Dust Storm Seasons Explorer first to see how an eccentric orbit drives a real weather season, then use the Earth Perihelion and Aphelion Explorer to see the same orbit-ellipse scene applied to a much rounder orbit with no dust-storm season at all.

See how to use Mars Dust Storm Seasons 3D Explorer for a step-by-step walkthrough.

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