Mars
Mars, known as the Red Planet, features giant volcanoes, dusty landscapes, and polar ice caps. Robotic explorers search its surface for signs of ancient water and life.
- Distance from Sun: ~228 million km
- Diameter: 6,779 km
- Orbital period: 687 Earth days
- Mean surface temperature: -63°C
- Moons: 2 (Phobos, Deimos)
- Key feature: Largest volcano and canyon in the solar system
Quick Facts
Mars’ reddish color comes from iron oxide (rust) in its soil. Olympus Mons, the largest volcano, towers 21 km high. NASA plans to bring Mars rocks to Earth for the first time in the 2030s.