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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun.The surface of Mars is orange-red because it is covered in iron(III) oxide dust, giving it the nickname "the Red Planet". [22] [23] Mars is among the brightest objects in Earth's sky, and its high-contrast albedo features have made it a common subject for telescope viewing.
Yogi Rock, analyzed by the Sojourner rover (July 4, 1997). The surface color of the planet Mars appears reddish from a distance because of rusty atmospheric dust. [1] From close up, it looks more of a butterscotch, [1] and other common surface colors include golden, brown, tan, and greenish, depending on minerals.
The planet Mars is seen in an undated NASA image. We now know that the red color is because of iron minerals in the soil rusting, likely ferrihydrite.
A study suggests Mars takes its red hue from a type of mineral that forms in cool water, which could reveal insights about whether Mars was ever able to support life.
Mars reflects little light at the blue end of the spectrum but much at red and higher wavelengths. This is why Mars has the familiar reddish-orange color to the naked eye. But detailed observations reveal a subtle range of colors on Mars' surface. Color variations provide clues to the composition of surface materials.
The red/orange appearance of the dust is caused by iron(III) oxide (nanophase Fe 2 O 3) and the iron(III) oxide-hydroxide mineral goethite. [ 54 ] The Mars Exploration Rovers identified magnetite as the mineral responsible for making the dust magnetic.
When this happens, Earth sits directly between Mars and the Sun, positioning the red planet directly opposite of the Sun in the sky. Because of this, Mars will look grander and more vivid than ...
Named after the Roman god of war, it is often referred to as the "Red Planet" [1] [2] because the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance. 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 .