Page 158 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Mars SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Ancient Rome
p.20

Named after the Roman god of war, this rocky planet ▸ ▸ Asteroids p.30
has huge volcanoes, ice caps, and deep canyons. It was ▸ ▸ Elements p.90
once a wet, warm world where water flowed. Now, ▸ ▸ Rocks and minerals

Mars is a cold, dry world covered in craters. p.214
▸ ▸ Space travel p.237

▸ ▸ Volcanoes p.268
Mars’ surface
features a giant
volcano called Thousands of
Olympus Mons. craters formed when
asteroids hit Mars
3.5 billion years ago.

Red planet
Mars is called the
red planet because its
surface is covered in a layer
of reddish dust. When the
wind blows, this dust enters
the atmosphere and turns
the sky red.

Cameras
photograph
and video
details on
the surface.

Mars is about
half the size
of Earth.

Moons of Mars
Mars has two tiny moons called
Mission to Mars Deimos and Phobos. These rocks
may have started as asteroids.
Since 1976, spacecraft Phobos is the largest, measuring
have visited Mars to 16 miles (27 km) in length.
study its surface.
Two twin rovers called
Spirit rover Spirit and Opportunity
arrived on Mars in
Instruments take 2004, and Opportunity Deimos Phobos
rock samples. is still exploring.
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