Why Mars Is Less Stable Than Earth: Orbital Comparisons

This scientific diagram compares the orbital and rotational behaviors of Earth and Mars. While Earth’s orbit remains relatively stable with only slight eccentricity (ranging up to 0.06), Mars exhibits a much greater variation, reaching 0.14. The axial tilt of Earth is steady at about 23°, but Mars’s tilt can swing dramatically by ±10°, leading to more extreme climate shifts. Finally, precession of Earth’s axis completes a cycle every 25,000 years, while Mars takes about 175,000 years to wobble through one full cycle. These differences help explain why Mars has experienced more pronounced climate changes throughout its history, making it a fascinating comparison point for planetary science.