6. Mars
Fourth in distance from the Sun, Mars is often called the “Red Planet” because it has a reddish appearance due to large quantities of iron oxide on its surface.
source: Elite Readers
Mars is home to the tallest mountain in the solar system: Olympus Mons stands 21km high!
One of the most exciting facts about Mars is that there are signs of liquid water on the planet, which could indicate its habitability potential, as well as the possibility of life. Future missions will aim to explore this theory.
There are currently two spacecraft stationed on Mars’ surface: the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity and the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity.
In 2013, the Curiosity rover celebrated its year anniversary on the planet, and sang “Happy Birthday” to itself from a Martian crater, 208 million miles from home. Here’s a video of how NASA accomplished this.
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