Mars Facts for Kids

A Picture of the Planet Mars
  • Planet Name: Mars
  • Type of Planet: Terrestrial
  • Solar System Region: Inner Solar System
  • Distance from the Sun: 128,400,000 miles (perihelion) to 154,800,000 miles (aphelion)
  • Time to Orbit Around the Sun: About 686 Earth days
  • Moons (natural satellites): 2
  • Total Surface Area: 55,907,000 square miles

21 Mars Facts for Kids

  1. The planet Mars formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
  2. The planet Mars was first observed via a telescope in 1610, by Galileo Galilei.
  3. The planet Mars is the fourth closest planet to the Sun.
  4. Mars is in the inner part of our Solar System.
  5. Mars is a terrestrial planet.
  6. Mars is often referred to as the Red Planet.
  7. Mars is named after the Roman god of war.
  8. Mars is the second smallest planet in our Solar System.
  9. Mars is 53% the size of Earth.
  10. The radius of the planet Mars is about 2,106 miles.
  11. Mars’s perihelion (closest) distance to the Sun is 128.4 million miles.
  12. Mars’s aphelion (farthest) distance to the Sun is 154.8 million miles.
  13. It takes Mars 686 Earth days to complete an orbit around the Sun.
  14. Mars has two known moons (natural satellites).
  15. Phobos is the largest of the two moons of Mars.
  16. Deimos is the smallest of the two moons of Mars..
  17. The planet Mars has no rings.
  18. Mars has a very thin atmosphere which mostly contains carbon dioxide.
  19. It’s possible life existed on Mars in the past. Many astronomers and scientists believe Mars was once warmer with a much thicker atmosphere. There could have been a time when Mars was green and flush with water, just like Earth!
  20. The tallest mountain in our solar system is on Mars, it’s called Olympus Mon. It’s a shield volcano that is 13 miles high and has a diameter of about 372 miles.
  21. If you were standing on the surface of Mars, our Sun would appear to be half the size as seen from the surface of Earth.

Additional Resources on the Planet Mars

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