2016 First-Class Forever Stamp,Views of Our Planets: Mars

# 5072 - 2016 First-Class Forever Stamp - Views of Our Planets: Mars

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US #5072
2016 Mars – Views of Our Planets

  • Pictures Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun
  • One of 8 stamps issued alongside the 2016 Pluto Explored stamps to commemorate space exploration in our Solar System and New Horizon spacecraft’s flyby of Pluton in 2015


Stamp Category: 
Commemorative
Set:  Views of Our Planets
Value:  47¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  May 31, 2016
First Day City:  New York, New York
Quantity Issued:  40,000,000
Printed by:  Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method:  Offset
Format:  Panes of 16
Tagging:  Nonphosphored type III, spot tag

Why the stamp was issued:  To showcase Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, and the NASA efforts that have allowed us to see this planet up-close.  To honor NASA’s space exploration efforts within our Solar System that have given us up-close images of every plant and – as of 2015 – dwarf planet Pluto.

About the stamp designs:  Pictures an image of Mars from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech and the Malin Space Science Systems company in San Diego.

First Day City:  The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Javits Center in New York City during the World Stamp Show 2016.

About the Views of Our Planets set:  Eight stamps issued to honor NASA’s space exploration efforts within our Solar System that have given us up-close images of every planet and – as of 2015 – dwarf planet Pluto.  Each stamp pictures one planet in our Solar System.  According to the USPS, “Some show the planet’s ‘true’ color – what we might see with our own eyes if traveling through space.  Others use colors to represent and visualize certain features of a planet based on imaging data.  Still others use the near-infrared spectrum to show things that cannot be seen by the human eye in visible light.”

History the stamp represents:  Mars and its reddish coloring can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.  Ancient Romans named it after their god of war, because of its blood-like color.

About half the size of Earth, Mars also experiences seasons because of its rotational axis.  It has polar ice caps that grow and shrink with the seasons, similar to our planet.

When viewed through a telescope, Mars’ seasonal changes led some to believe it had vegetation and advanced life forms.  It was not until 1965 when the Mariner 4 spacecraft passed Mars that we received the first photos revealing a dry, cratered surface dotted with volcanoes.  In fact, Mars is home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, which is also the tallest known mountain on any planet.

Since 2002, orbiters and rovers have examined Mars extensively.  Natural structures and minerals have been found proving there was once water on the planet.  Later missions discovered ice and snow and found that Mars’ cold temperatures and atmosphere do not allow liquid water to last long on the surface.

Scientists are extremely interested in the history of water on Mars, and consider the planet to be habitable.  NASA and independent groups look to visit – and even colonize the planet – by the year 2040.

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US #5072
2016 Mars – Views of Our Planets

  • Pictures Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun
  • One of 8 stamps issued alongside the 2016 Pluto Explored stamps to commemorate space exploration in our Solar System and New Horizon spacecraft’s flyby of Pluton in 2015


Stamp Category: 
Commemorative
Set:  Views of Our Planets
Value:  47¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  May 31, 2016
First Day City:  New York, New York
Quantity Issued:  40,000,000
Printed by:  Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method:  Offset
Format:  Panes of 16
Tagging:  Nonphosphored type III, spot tag

Why the stamp was issued:  To showcase Mars, the fourth planet from the Sun, and the NASA efforts that have allowed us to see this planet up-close.  To honor NASA’s space exploration efforts within our Solar System that have given us up-close images of every plant and – as of 2015 – dwarf planet Pluto.

About the stamp designs:  Pictures an image of Mars from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech and the Malin Space Science Systems company in San Diego.

First Day City:  The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Javits Center in New York City during the World Stamp Show 2016.

About the Views of Our Planets set:  Eight stamps issued to honor NASA’s space exploration efforts within our Solar System that have given us up-close images of every planet and – as of 2015 – dwarf planet Pluto.  Each stamp pictures one planet in our Solar System.  According to the USPS, “Some show the planet’s ‘true’ color – what we might see with our own eyes if traveling through space.  Others use colors to represent and visualize certain features of a planet based on imaging data.  Still others use the near-infrared spectrum to show things that cannot be seen by the human eye in visible light.”

History the stamp represents:  Mars and its reddish coloring can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.  Ancient Romans named it after their god of war, because of its blood-like color.

About half the size of Earth, Mars also experiences seasons because of its rotational axis.  It has polar ice caps that grow and shrink with the seasons, similar to our planet.

When viewed through a telescope, Mars’ seasonal changes led some to believe it had vegetation and advanced life forms.  It was not until 1965 when the Mariner 4 spacecraft passed Mars that we received the first photos revealing a dry, cratered surface dotted with volcanoes.  In fact, Mars is home to the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, which is also the tallest known mountain on any planet.

Since 2002, orbiters and rovers have examined Mars extensively.  Natural structures and minerals have been found proving there was once water on the planet.  Later missions discovered ice and snow and found that Mars’ cold temperatures and atmosphere do not allow liquid water to last long on the surface.

Scientists are extremely interested in the history of water on Mars, and consider the planet to be habitable.  NASA and independent groups look to visit – and even colonize the planet – by the year 2040.