Planet
Mars
Terrestrial planet
The red planet of dust storms and giant volcanoes
Iron oxide dust gives Mars its red colour. It hosts Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, and Valles Marineris, a canyon system over 4,000 km long. Rovers have found clear evidence of ancient water.
In your sky
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Key facts
Distance
1.52 AU from the Sun (mean)
Diameter
6,779 km
Orbital period
687 days
Day length
24 h 37 min
Moons
2 (Phobos, Deimos)
Did you know
- Olympus Mons rises about 22 km above the surrounding plains.
- Mars has seasons because its axis is tilted 25°.
- Dust storms can engulf the entire planet.
