The Red Planet

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in our Solar System. Its reddish appearance comes from iron minerals in its soil oxidizing, or rusting.

Evidence suggests that Mars was once warmer and wetter, with rivers, lakes and possibly a northern ocean. Today it is a cold, dry world with volcanoes, enormous canyons, polar ice caps and powerful dust storms.

Diameter

6,779 km

Day length

24h 37m

Year length

687 days

Moons

Surface landmark

Olympus Mons

Mars contains the largest known volcano in the Solar System. Olympus Mons rises roughly 22 kilometres above the surrounding plains and is nearly three times the height of Mount Everest.

Natural satellites

Phobos & Deimos

Mars has two small, irregularly shaped moons. Phobos circles very close to the planet, while Deimos follows a wider and slower orbit.

Distance from Sun

About 227.9 million km

Temperature

About −63°C on average

Gravity

3.71 m/s²

Atmosphere

Mainly carbon dioxide

The Red Planet

Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. Its reddish appearance comes from iron minerals in its soil oxidizing, or rusting.

Mars is a cold, dry world with volcanoes, canyons, polar ice caps and powerful dust storms.