15 Interesting Facts About Mars

Mars is one of the most studied and mysterious planets in the Solar System. It attracts the attention of scientists, writers, artists, and dreamers with its features and possibilities.

In this article, we want to share with you the most interesting facts about Mars that may surprise you, answer a curious question, or make you look at this planet in a new way.

1. How did Mars get its name?

Mars was named after the Roman god of war because its red color was associated with blood and violence. In different cultures, Mars had different names, for example, in ancient Greece it was called Ares, in ancient Egypt — Horus, in ancient India — Mangala, in ancient China — Huoxing (Fire Star).

2. Why is Mars called the Red Planet?

Mars is called the Red Planet because it has a reddish tint due to the presence of iron oxide (rust) on its surface. This oxide formed as a result of the oxidation of iron in the Martian soil, under the influence of atmospheric oxygen and water in the past. Now Mars is almost devoid of atmosphere and water, so its surface does not change.

3. The symbol of the planet Mars

The symbol of Mars is a circle with a cross and an arrow pointing upwards and to the right. This symbol represents the shield and spear of the god of war Mars, and also symbolizes masculinity, strength, aggression, and passion.

4. Why did Mars lose its atmosphere and magnetic field?

Mars has a very thin atmosphere, which consists mainly of carbon dioxide. Its atmospheric pressure is only 0.6% of Earth's. In the past, Mars had a denser atmosphere, which allowed liquid water to exist on its surface. However, due to the lack of a global magnetic field that would protect the planet from the solar wind, Mars gradually lost its atmosphere into space. Mars' magnetic field disappeared about 4 billion years ago when its liquid iron core cooled.

5. Why did Mars lose its water?

Along with the atmosphere, Mars also lost most of its water. In the past, Mars had rivers, lakes, and even oceans that left traces on its surface. However, due to the decrease in atmospheric pressure and temperature, the water on Mars froze or evaporated. Now Mars has only a small amount of water, which is in the form of ice under the surface or in the polar caps.

6. Duration of a day and a year on Mars

Mars rotates around its axis in 24 hours and 37 minutes, which almost coincides with an Earth day. However, a year on Mars lasts 687 Earth days because it is farther from the Sun than Earth, and its orbit is more elongated. This means that the seasons on Mars last twice as long as on Earth.

7. Temperature on the planet Mars

Mars has a very low average temperature, which is about -63 degrees Celsius. However, the temperature on Mars can vary greatly depending on the time of day, season, and location. At the equator of Mars, the temperature can rise to 20 degrees Celsius during the day and fall to -73 degrees Celsius at night. At the poles of Mars, the temperature can reach -143 degrees Celsius.

The highest temperature recorded on Mars was 35 degrees Celsius, and the lowest was -143 degrees Celsius.

8. Mars has the strongest dust storms in the Solar System

Due to the low atmospheric pressure and high wind speed, dust can rise to a height of up to 60 kilometers and spread across the entire planet. Some dust storms on Mars can last for months and block sunlight, making it difficult for rovers and probes to operate.

The most famous dust storm on Mars occurred in 2018 and led to the loss of communication with the Opportunity rover, which was declared dead in 2019.

9. The largest valley in the Solar System

Mars has the largest valley in the Solar System, which is called Valles Marineris. This valley stretches for 4000 kilometers along the equator of Mars and has a depth of up to 7 kilometers. By comparison, the Grand Canyon in the USA is 446 kilometers long and up to 1.8 kilometers deep.

Valles Marineris was formed as a result of the stretching of the Martian crust due to volcanic activity.

10. The highest mountain in the Solar System

Mars also has the highest mountain in the Solar System, which is called Olympus Mons. It is a shield volcano that has a height of 21.9 kilometers above sea level and a diameter of 600 kilometers. By comparison, Everest, the highest mountain on Earth, has a height of 8.8 kilometers above sea level and a diameter of 60 kilometers.

Olympus Mons has not erupted for millions of years but is considered a potentially active volcano.

11. Mars is the most Earth-like planet in the Solar System

Mars has many similarities with Earth, such as the length of the day, axial tilt, the presence of polar caps, surface relief, and seasonal changes. These similarities make Mars the most suitable planet for life in the Solar System after Earth. Many scientists believe that primitive life could have existed on Mars in the past and are searching for its traces using missions and probes.

12. Phobos and Deimos — sons of the god of war

Mars has two small moons, which are called Phobos and Deimos. They were named after the sons of the god of war Mars, who personified fear and terror. Phobos and Deimos have an irregular shape, similar to asteroids, and orbit Mars very quickly.

Phobos is closer to Mars than any other moon is to its planet, and its orbit is gradually decreasing. Scientists believe that in 30–50 million years Phobos will either break up into a ring or crash into Mars.

13. Mars: the planet that conquered books, movies, and games

Mars is a popular subject for research and art. There are many books, movies, games, and other works dedicated to Mars and its colonization. Some of the most famous examples are “The War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells, “The Martian” by Andy Weir, “Alice's Adventures on Mars” by Lewis Carroll, “The Martian Chronicles” by Ray Bradbury, “Total Recall” by Philip K. Dick, “Doom” by id Software, “Red Faction” by Volition, and many others.

14. Flight to Mars: dream or reality? Challenges and risks of future missions

Mars is a target for future manned missions. Several space agencies and private companies plan to send humans to Mars in the coming decades. However, a flight to Mars presents a significant challenge and risk, as it requires a large amount of resources, time, technology, and medical support. Additionally, there are many dangers on Mars, such as radiation, low gravity, cold, dust, isolation, and psychological stress. Therefore, before going to Mars, it is necessary to conduct thorough preparation and ensure the safety and comfort of the astronauts.

15. Mars: how to make the planet alive. Terraforming — the path to colonization

Mars could become a second home for humanity. Many people dream of living on Mars and creating a permanent colony there. To do this, it is necessary to transform Mars into a more habitable planet, that is, to carry out terraforming.

Terraforming is the process of artificially changing the climate and ecosystem of a planet using various methods, such as increasing temperature, pressure, humidity, oxygen, water, and vegetation.

However, terraforming Mars may take hundreds or thousands of years and have unpredictable consequences for the planet and its inhabitants.