It was warmer on Mars than it was in Calgary this week

It may be hard to believe, but Calgary’s average high over the past week has actually been colder than that of the red planet, Mars.

Even though the fourth planet from the sun is orbiting that giant ball of fire an average of 225 million km further away than us here on Earth (or, more specifically, Calgary, Alberta), the temperature high at the Gale Crater is sitting close to a toasty -15°C.

See also

• Swoop is having a major 3-day sale on a number of its low-cost flights
• Can you tell which Canadian city these snowy photos were taken in?
• A stunning natural light phenomenon was seen over Alberta this weekend

Sol 2315 (2019-02-09), high -17C/1F, low -71C/-95F, pressure at 8.13 hPa, daylight 06:47-18:52 pic.twitter.com/xnGU2i98WB

— Mars Weather (@MarsWxReport) February 12, 2019

Compare that to the -20°C that Calgary has been seeing over the past week (not to mention the windchill making it feel closer to -40°C) and you may start seeing Matt Damon’s plight in The Martian as more of a tropical vacation.

Sol 2314 (2019-02-08), high -16C/3F, low -71C/-95F, pressure at 8.14 hPa, daylight 06:47-18:53

— Mars Weather (@MarsWxReport) February 12, 2019

Of course, we’re only talking daytime highs here.

Mars still drops down to less-than-optimal temperatures during the night — think -70ish°C (no windchill, though) — which, granted, is a tad colder than what we experience here in Calgary.

Couple that with the fact that the Gale Crater region of Mars is currently going through its “summer” season and seeing it’s highest temperatures reaching just short of 0°C, and you may actually feel a little more grateful to be living on this big blue planet.

… Even if it is on one of the more frigid, snowy, and record-breakingly cold parts of it.

Plus all the oxygen and water and life, in general, is nice to have around, as well.

We really are spoiled out here, aren’t we?