"Do you think that a planet would have to have land to support life, or may there be life on waterworlds? "
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Question
When Mars is at its closest point to Earth, could its gravity have an effect on us, or is it still too far away?
The gravity of Mars has negligible effect on the Earth, although, of course, all the planets influence each other's orbits in subtle ways that are of interest only to planetary dynamics experts. But at a distance of more than 50 million kilometers, the gravity of Mars is extremely weak, and there are no other effects anticipated. For example, the gravitational tidal force exerted on you by Mars at its closest is less than that from any of the other people around you in your home, or from major pieces of furniture such as a refrigerator or washing machine.
David Morrison
NAI Senior Scientist
August 18, 2003
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