The Red Frontier
Mars
A cold desert world of rust-colored dust, home to the solar system's tallest volcano and deepest canyon. Ancient riverbeds tell of a warmer, wetter past — and make Mars the prime target in the search for past life.
Size compared to Earth0.53× Earth's diameter
Full bar = Jupiter, the largest planet
Vital statistics
- Diameter
- 6,792 km
- Distance from Sun
- 227.9 million km
- Orbital period
- 687 Earth days
- Day length
- 24.6 hours
- Moons
- 2
- Mean temperature
- -65°C
Notable facts
Olympus Mons on Mars is nearly three times the height of Mount Everest — about 22 kilometers tall.
Valles Marineris, a canyon system on Mars, would stretch from New York to Los Angeles.
Mars has two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, likely captured asteroids.
Sunsets on Mars appear blue, because fine dust scatters red light and lets blue light through.
Next stop
Jupiter