Mars, the Red Planet is on average about 140 million miles from Earth. Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, larger only than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war.

Mars is approximately half the diameter of Earth, with a surface area only slightly less than the total area of Earth’s dry land.  Mars is less dense than Earth, having about 15% of Earth’s volume and 11% of Earth’s mass, resulting in about 38% of Earth’s surface gravity. The red-orange appearance of the Martian surface is caused by ferric oxide, or rust.

Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere and has a crust primarily composed of elements similar to Earth’s crust, as well as a core made of iron and nickel.

Some of the most notable surface features on Mars include Olympus Mons, the largest volcano and highest-known mountain in the Solar System, and Valles Marineris, one of the largest canyons in the Solar System.

Getting to Mars is a 7 or 8-month journey, and when you get there, you would have to wait 15 months for the planets to align correctly again before you were able to return to Earth.

Check out this amazing video: Mars In 4K