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Nothing fires the imagination more than Mars:

Why Is It Called the Red Planet?


No other world has tickled the human fancy more than Mars. It seems nothing in Outer Space fires the imagination more than what we know today as the Red Planet.

Humans have wondered about the mysteries of the planet Mars since the Babylonians began exploring the skies with astronomy in 400 B.C. To those people in ancient times, Mars looked like a red star passing through their night sky.

The color red was associated with blood, thus death and war. The people of ancient times also associated the small reddish "star" with the element iron and men used iron weapons to wage war. The moons of Mars are named "Phobos" and "Deimos." In Greek mythology, those were the names of the sons of the god of war. The larger moon is Phobos, meaning "fear," and the smaller is Deimos, meaning "panic."


Learn more:
Human Exploration of Mars:
There have been three stages of exploration so far
Sand dunes: Dust Storms: Air: Carbon Dioxide: Outflow Channels: Valley Networks: Rift Valley: Ice: Ice caps: Frost: Water: Artesian Water: Mars Weather: Mars Photo Galleries: Planet features: Canals: Rocks: Mountains: Dating and aging: Seasons:
SPACE TODAY ONLINE:
Exploring Mars
Mars Probes
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Probes of the Future
Mars Water
Mars Canals
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Mars Seasons
Mars Mountains
Mars Rift Valley
Mars Moons
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Mars Stats
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Mars history
Mars Resources
Mars Orbiter 2005
Mars Scout 2007
NASA MARS HISTORY:
Rover Spirit 2003
Rover Opportunity 2003
Express 2003
Odyssey 2001
Polar Lander 1999
Climate Orbiter 1998
Deep Space 2 1999
Global Surveyor 1996
Pathfinder Lander 1996
Rover Sojourner 1996
Pathfinder Mission 1996
Viking-1 Lander 1975
Viking-2 Orbiter 1975
Viking-1 Lander 1975
Viking-1 Orbiter 1975
Mariner 9 Orbiter 1971
Mars 3 Lander 1971
Mariner 4 Flyby 1964
Viking Mission 1975
Mars Meteorites - JPL
EXPLORATIONS PLANNED:
2003 & Beyond - Goddard
2005 & Beyond - JPL
Mars Exploration - JPL
Plans to Explore Planets


SOLAR SYSTEM:
Solar System - JPL
Welcome to the Planets - JPL
Planetary Photojournal - JPL
Mars - Athena - NASA Ames
Solar System Tour - BBC
Mars - New York Times
Windows...Universe - UMich
Mars - Apollo Society
Planetary Society
Mars Society
The Nine Planets
Planet Mars Company
Solar System - STO
Solar System Tour
Artist conception of Mars with water four billion years ago
NASA CONCEPTION OF MARS WITH
WATER FOUR BILLIONS YEAR AGO
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