Planet Mars is basically a dry, dusty and crater covered planet. It has canyons 5,000 kilometers long, and up to seven kilometers in depth. Earth's Grand Canyon would appear like a small scratch in comparison. It also boasts the highest mountain in our solar system; 600 kilometers across and about 27 kilometers high. Mars has dust storm twisters up to six kilometers high, which skip along it's surface. It also has winds which speed along at over 300 kilometers an hour, and last for months on end.

Mars has been the subject of mankind's scientific studies more than any other planet. It has pondered the question if life could ever have existed, or if it is possible in the future. It has cloud covered mountains and fog filled canyons just like Earth. It also has seasons just like Earth, except that they last twice as long. We have not discovered water on Mars as yet, but its landscape suggests it did exist. Many dried up river beds are visible, which suggest water being there millions of years ago. If there is any water to be found, it is likely to be under the planet's surface. However, until we find it for sure, we simply will never know!

Because of its position in the Solar System, and the make up of the planet, Mars is considered to be the most suitable planet to transform into one similar to Earth. However, before we start to plan any moves into future worlds such as this, there are a few basic elements to deal with. Firstly, water would have to be discovered and treated. Secondly, the atmosphere of Mars would have to be corrected, and the planet itself warmed to an acceptable temperature to suit human life. Lastly, for this to ever become a reality, we will first have to wait anywhere between ten thousand to one hundred thousand years. Let's not rush off just yet!

Planet Mars may only be about half the size of Earth, but it does have two moons. Just as the planet was named by the ancients after their God of War, so were its moons. As Terror and Panic accompany War, these two moons were named accordingly in regard to Greek mythology. The interesting thing about these moons is that they were referred to in earlier literature, well before they were even discovered. They were referred to in Micromegas by Voltaire, and their actual orbits and sizes were described in Gulliver's Travels, an uncanny coincidence in reality. What we do know is that their 'Terror' moon is in an unusual orbit, and is predicted to smash into the planet in about thirty million years time.

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the last of the rock based planets. A day on Mars is only 41 minutes longer than on Earth, and it takes just under two Earth years (about 23 months) to orbit the Sun.