How much do you really know about this fascinating planet, other than the fact that Martians are rumoured to be living there, and that it is nicknamed The Red Planet?
In this article we will uncover plenty of Mars Information, including Interesting Facts about Mars that include some pretty cool features of Mars Planet.
Are you ready to embark on an Out-of-the-world voyage to Mars?
Let’s go!
Interesting Facts about Planet Mars for Children
Looking for information about Mars that your children will love?
The Mars Information we have curated for you in this section, goes well beyond the mundane facts readily found out there.
Here are some fun facts about Mars that will leave even you pleasantly surprised!
- It is named after the Roman God of War. Yes, we all know it is nicknamed The Red Planet, and now we know ‘why’, too. It is because of its striking Red colour, that symbolizes ‘Blood.’
- It has 2 moons, Deimos and Phobos. Yet another ‘Roman’ connection. These are named after the 2 horses that pull the chariot of the Roman God. Note: These moons might actually be ‘asteroids that have been captured by the gravitational force of Mars.
- Like Earth, it is a Terrestrial planet. Probably one of the top reasons, scientists believe there might be life on Mars. Its surface is hard and rocky, and that literally means that you can ‘walk’ on it. Unlike planets Jupiter and Saturn, that are quintessentially Gas Planets.
- It is home to the tallest volcano in our Solar System. Namely Olympus Mons, which is believed to be a whopping 21 kilometres tall!
- It has approximately the same amount of Land as our Earth. This, despite the fact that the Earth is much bigger than Mars. The reason? Most of the Earth’s surface is covered in Water!
- It is very cold. Think that some places on the Earth are freezing? You haven’t been to Mars! One of the most distinguishing features of Mars Planet, is the fact that it has a thin atmosphere. This is 95.9 percent carbon dioxide, and 2.7 percent nitrogen. This is what accounts for the freezing temperatures that range from -100 degrees Celsius in the Winter, to -20 degrees Celsius in the Summer.
- They have Polar Ice Caps, like the Earth. In fact, Mars and Earth are the only 2 planets that have them. These ‘caps’ are essentially made up of solid carbon dioxide, or in layman’s terms, Dry Ice.
- It is also home to the Solar System’s biggest Canyon. Ever been to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA? It is 1.6 km deep. On the other hand, the canyon on Mars, namely Valles Marines, is as deep as 7 km!
- Its soil is rich in Iron. We have seen ‘why’ Mars is called The Red Planet, but do we even know ‘how’ it gets its distinct Red Colour? This is all thanks to the Iron in its soil ‘Rusting’. It is on account of this fact, that the soil and even atmosphere of Mars, appear ‘Red.’
- It has the best conditions to support life. Martians might not be the only ‘creatures’ living on Mars in the future to come. While there is no tangible evidence that might support the theory of Life on Mars, scientists believe it has potential for the same. This claim can be backed up by the most recent discovery of Water Ice, under the surface of The Red Planet.
- Regolith is the name given to Martian Soil. What NASA tells us is, Regolith is ‘Dust and broken Rock.’ What’s interesting to note here, is the fact that collecting Regolith needs a different approach, vis a vis collecting Rock Ores.
- Mars represents Masculinity. About the only thing related to Mars, that you will glean from reading John Grey’s bestseller, that we talked about in the introduction to this article. This is why the symbol of Mars is used to represent the Male Gender.
- Mars might collide with the moon Phobos. Yes, this moon is moving slowly towards the planet Mars. It is rumoured that in around 50 million years, it might crash into Mars!
- There are violent dust storms on the planet. If you have seen the movie ‘The Martian’ that stars Matt Damon, you will certainly remember the Dust Storm Scene therein. The truth is, there are several violent dust storms that occur on the planet’s surface that are driven by the Sun. These intense storms can cover the entire planet, and even last for months on end!
- The days on Mars are longer than on Earth. In case you’re thinking of spending a day on Mars, here’s a fact that you will need to know. Namely, that a day on Mars is 37 minutes longer than on our planet.
- Some areas of Mars are Highly Magnetized. This, despite the fact that Mars does not have a Magnetic Field!
- The moons of Mars are shaped like Potatoes. Now, that’s a cool fact about The Red Planet that kids will love to hear! Interestingly, this is because their Mass is too less, for gravity to bestow them with a spherical shape.
- It experiences Seasons like we do on Earth. Yet another reason for humans to consider living on Mars in the future! This is owing to its Axis, which is tilted at 25 degrees.
At EuroKids, we are of the opinion that if there is one planet in the solar system other than Earth that children should learn about most, it is Mars. After all, there are already several talks about the Search For Life on Mars, as well as some pretty solid preparations for Future Human Exploration.
