- Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, being larger than only Mercury.
- Mars carries the name of the Roman god of war and is often referred to as the “Red Planet”.
- It is called as Red Planet because of the effect of the iron oxide prevalent on Mars’s surface, which gives it a reddish appearance distinctive among the astronomical bodies visible to the naked eye.
- The days and seasons are comparable to those of Earth, because the rotational period as well as the tilt of the rotational axis relative to the ecliptic plane are similar.
- Olympus Mons, located in Mars is the largest volcano and highest known mountain on any planet in the Solar System.
- Valles Marineris is one of the largest canyons in the Solar System.
- Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly shaped.
- Mars is approximately half the diameter of Earth, with a surface area only slightly less than the total area of Earth’s dry land.
- Mars is less dense than Earth, having about 15% of Earth’s volume and 11% of Earth’s mass, resulting in about 38% of Earth’s surface gravity.
Also Read Facts about other planets in Solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune