General Information

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and the last of the Terrestrial planets. Easily visible from Earth without binoculars or a telescope, Mars has been known since antiquity. Even from Earth, Mars has a clearly visible red or pinkish hue from its iron oxide rich, rock strewn deserts, leading to its nickname "the Red Planet". Because its orbit is further from the sun than Earth's, its year is twice as long while the length of its day is very similar at 24 hours and 37 minutes. Its axial tilt is also similar to our Earth's which leads to a pattern of seasons similar to our own. Yet it also exhibits a more elliptical orbit which contributes to a greater range in temperatures. Its distance from the sun however, means that its temperature is much lower than any human is used to. A hot summer's day might be a nice warm 27°C (80°F), but on average its surface temperature is -55°C (-67°F).

It has two moons orbitting it at relatively small distances. Both moons, Phobos and Deimos, are small and irregularly shaped being more similar in appearance to asteroids.