Mars

The cold, rusty Red Planet, home to the tallest volcano and deepest canyon in the solar system.

See Mars in the 3D solar system →

Mars at a glance

Distance from Sun
1.524 AU
Radius
3,389.5 km
Day length
24.7 hours
Year
1.9 years
Moons
2
Mean temperature
-63 °C
Surface gravity
3.72 m/s²
Mass
0.107 × Earth

About Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, a cold desert world whose rusty red colour comes from iron oxide in its soil. It hosts Olympus Mons, the tallest volcano in the solar system, and Valles Marineris, a canyon system that would stretch across the United States.

A Martian day is close to our own at about 24 hours 40 minutes, but a year lasts 687 Earth days. Thin air and evidence of ancient rivers make Mars the leading target in the search for past life.

Named after the Roman god of war. Known since antiquity.