Mars Facts

Did you know that Mars is often called the “Red Planet” because of its reddish appearance? This intriguing planet has the largest volcano in the solar system, Olympus Mons, and a massive canyon, Valles Marineris, that stretches across its surface. Mars has seasons, polar ice caps, and weather patterns similar to Earth, but its atmosphere is thin and primarily composed of carbon dioxide. Scientists are particularly interested in Mars because evidence suggests it may have once had liquid water.