Fun Facts About Mars

Why is Mars called the Red Planet?

• Mars is covered in soil, rock, and dust made from iron oxide, giving it a reddish hue.

Naming Mars

• Mars is named after the Roman god of war.
• Its two moons, Deimos and Phobos, are named after the horses that pulled Mars’ chariot.

Mars’ Orbit

• Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, about 141 million miles away.
• It takes approximately 300 days (8 months) to travel there from Earth.
• A Martian year is 687 days long, or 1.9 Earth years.
• Mars’ axial tilt is 25 degrees, resulting in seasons similar to Earth’s.

Mars’ Atmosphere and Climate

• The atmosphere is thin, composed mainly of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
• It’s too thin to trap heat, leading to extremely cold temperatures (-100℃ to 20℃).
• Mars experiences violent dust storms that can last for months.

Mars’ Surface Features

• Mars is a terrestrial planet with a hard, rocky surface.
• Its northern side is dominated by flat plains, while the southern side has ridges and craters.
• The surface has channels, plains, and canyons that suggest the possibility of past water erosion.
• Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, is located on Mars.
• The Borealis Basin, the largest crater, covers 40% of the planet’s surface.
• Valles Marineris is the solar system’s largest canyon.
• Mars has polar ice caps made of frozen carbon dioxide.

Mars Exploration

• Mars is the most likely planet for human exploration due to its proximity to Earth.
• Numerous Mars rovers have been sent to explore the planet, collecting samples and data.
• While no evidence of life has been found, there’s potential for subsurface life due to the presence of water ice.

Want to Learn More?

Enroll in our science holiday camps or term-time science classes to explore the wonders of Mars and the universe!