Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called the ‘Red Planet’ because of its red soil. The soil on Mars is red because it contains iron oxide (rust).

Mars is one of the brightest objects in the night sky. It has been known since ancient times. The planet is named for the Roman God of War. It has two moons -- Phobos (fear) and Deimos (panic). The moons get their scary names from the horses that pulled the chariot of the Greek God Ares.

Mars is a little like Earth, only smaller, drier and colder. Both planets have polar ice caps, volcanoes, canyons and four seasons (the seasons on Mars are twice as long).

The thin air on Mars makes it a dangerous place for humans. It is mostly poisonous carbon dioxide. You would need a spacesuit to visit Mars. Recently, scientists found lots of frozen water (scientists say water ice) just under the surface of Mars.

Mars is a rocky planet. It is dusty and dry. Sometimes giant dust storms cover the whole planet.

Exploring Mars would be hard. But there are lots of things to see and learn. Olympus Mons may be the largest volcano in our solar system. It is three times taller than Mt. Everest (the tallest mountain on Earth).