Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System after Mercury. In English, Mars carries a name of the Roman god of war (Greek Ares, Hinduism Kartikeya) and is often referred to as the "Red Planet" because the reddish iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance that is distinctive among the astronomical bodies visible to the naked eye. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the valleys, deserts, and polar ice caps of Earth. Mars is not as dense as the other inner planets (around 3.9 grams per cubic centimeter on average; the other inner planets have average densities above 5 grams per cubic centimeter) hinting that its core is not mostly iron.
Moons[]
Main article: Martian Moons
Mars has 2 moons, Phobos and Deimos.
Surface[]
Mars has a red, rocky surface and an atmosphere made mostly of carbon dioxide. Mars is red because of iron oxide (rust) being the veneer of its surface.
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