Celebrating diversity this Valentine’s month
Harry invites all enthusiastic star gazers to visit Maropeng for its Star Gazing evenings that happen once a month with resident astronomer Vincent Nettman. For more information visit www.maropeng.co.za
JOHANNESBURG – It is the month of love and Harry the Hominid, Maropeng’s spokeshominid, encourages romantics out there to look to Mars and Venus for inspiration this Valentine’s Day.
“Sometime men and women can be as different as Mars and Venus but diversity can also be the spice of life,” he said.
Harry points out some interesting facts about the two planets that form part of our solar system:
· Venus is much closer to the Sun and Earth, than Mars.
· Mars is half the size of the Earth, while Venus is almost as large as the Earth.
· Venus is now too hot for life, while Mars is too cold for life.
· Venus has a thick atmosphere with clouds, while Mars has a thin atmosphere.
· The surface of Mars has canyons, dunes, volcanoes, and polar caps of water ice and carbon dioxide ice; and Venus has a rocky, dusty, waterless area with mountains, canyons, plains and a 200 mile river of hardened lava.
· Mars has a blood-red colour (which comes from the iron-rich dust on its surface), while Venus is more greyish and black (because of its rocky crust and iron-nickel core).
“So this Valentines Day as you gaze at the night sky with your loved one, remember that while we are different in many ways, we need to celebrate and enjoy our differences – just like Mars and Venus,” Harry said.
