10 Most Unusual Things About Mars

Mars is often called the Red Planet. It is one of the planets we have explored the most, and it is also one of the most interesting worlds in our Solar System.

At first, Mars may look like a dry and empty desert. But when scientists started studying it closely, they discovered giant volcanoes, enormous canyons, ancient river valleys, strange weather, underground ice and even unusual sunsets.

Mars was not always the cold, dry world we see today. Evidence collected by spacecraft shows that ancient Mars was much wetter and warmer, with a thicker atmosphere.

Let's explore 10 unusual things about Mars that make the Red Planet so fascinating.

1. Mars Has Blue Sunsets

One of the strangest things about Mars is the colour of its sunset.

On Earth, we usually see beautiful orange, red and pink sunsets. On Mars, the area around the setting Sun can appear blue.

The reason is the fine dust floating in the Martian atmosphere.

Mars has a very dusty atmosphere. These tiny dust particles interact with sunlight in a way that allows blue light to stay closer to the Sun's direction, while other colours spread more widely across the sky.

Unusual fact: The Red Planet can have blue-looking sunsets.

NASA's rovers have photographed these unusual sunsets from the Martian surface. The effect is not simply a camera trick; it comes from how sunlight interacts with Martian dust.

2. Mars Has the Largest Volcano in the Solar System

Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the largest known volcano in our Solar System.

Olympus Mons is a giant shield volcano. It rises about 26 kilometres above the surrounding plains according to NASA's Mars reference data.

For comparison, Mount Everest is about 8.8 kilometres above sea level.

That means Olympus Mons is roughly three times higher than Mount Everest when comparing their respective heights.

Imagine this: If Olympus Mons were on Earth, it would completely dominate the landscape around it.

The volcano became so enormous partly because Mars does not have Earth's type of active plate tectonics. Lava could repeatedly build up in the same region over a very long period.

3. Mars Has a Canyon Much Bigger Than Earth's Grand Canyon

Mars has another giant geological feature called Valles Marineris.

It is a huge canyon system stretching about 4,000 kilometres across the Martian surface.

NASA describes it as the largest canyon system in the Solar System.

For comparison, Earth's Grand Canyon is about 446 kilometres long.

Unusual fact: Valles Marineris is roughly nine times longer than the Grand Canyon.

The canyon is also extremely deep in places, reaching several kilometres below the surrounding terrain.

Scientists believe the enormous canyon system formed mainly through tectonic and volcanic processes rather than being carved simply by a river like Earth's Grand Canyon.

4. Mars Once Had Rivers and Lakes

Today, Mars looks dry and dusty. But billions of years ago, the story was very different.

Scientists have found evidence of ancient river valleys, lakebeds and deltas on Mars.

Rocks and minerals found by Mars missions also provide evidence that liquid water once existed on the surface.

NASA says some features suggest that Mars experienced huge floods around 3.5 billion years ago.

Big mystery: Mars was once much wetter and warmer than it is today. Scientists are still trying to understand exactly how and when the planet changed into the cold, dry world we see now.

This ancient water history is one of the main reasons scientists are interested in Mars when studying whether the planet could once have supported microbial life.

5. Mars Has Water Today — But Mostly as Ice

When people hear that Mars has water, they may imagine rivers flowing across the surface.

That is not what scientists mean.

Mars has water today mainly in the form of water ice, especially in polar regions and underground.

The Martian atmosphere is extremely thin. Because of this low atmospheric pressure, liquid water cannot remain stable on the surface for long under normal Martian conditions.

Interesting fact: Much of the water that remains on Mars today is frozen or stored below the surface.

Finding and understanding this water is extremely important for future Mars exploration because water could potentially be used for drinking, agriculture and making resources such as oxygen and hydrogen fuel.

6. Mars Can Have Planet-Wide Dust Storms

Mars is famous for its dust.

Small dust storms happen regularly across the planet. Sometimes, however, several storms can grow and join together to create enormous regional storms.

In rare cases, dust can spread around almost the entire planet.

A famous global dust storm occurred in 2018. The storm became so large that it blocked sunlight from reaching the surface in many areas.

Why does this matter? Dust storms can be a major problem for solar-powered spacecraft because dust in the atmosphere reduces the sunlight reaching solar panels.

NASA's Opportunity rover eventually stopped communicating after the 2018 global dust storm covered its location and prevented its solar panels from receiving enough sunlight.

Mars therefore has weather that can affect robotic explorers millions of kilometres away from Earth.

7. A Martian Day Is Surprisingly Similar to an Earth Day

Mars is very different from Earth, but there is one interesting similarity.

A complete day on Mars is called a sol.

One sol lasts about 24 hours and 39 minutes.

That is only about 39 minutes longer than an Earth day.

Imagine this: If you lived on Mars, your daily routine would be very similar in length to an Earth day — just slightly longer.

This similarity is useful for Mars missions because scientists and engineers can plan rover activities around a day that is close to Earth's 24-hour cycle.

8. Mars Has Seasons Like Earth

Mars has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Why?

Mars is tilted on its axis by about 25.2 degrees. Earth's tilt is about 23.4 degrees.

Because the two planets have similar axial tilts, both experience seasonal changes.

However, Mars takes about 687 Earth days to complete one orbit around the Sun.

So a Martian year is almost twice as long as an Earth year.

Unusual fact: Mars has Earth-like seasons, but each season lasts much longer.

The seasons are not all exactly the same length because Mars has a more stretched-out orbit than Earth.

9. Mars Has Two Very Strange Moons

Mars has two small moons called Phobos and Deimos.

They are very different from Earth's large, nearly spherical Moon.

Phobos is the larger of the two and has an irregular, potato-like shape. Deimos is smaller and also irregularly shaped.

Phobos orbits extremely close to Mars — only about 6,000 kilometres above the Martian surface.

Amazing fact: Phobos completes an orbit around Mars about three times in one Martian day.

Scientists are still studying where these two moons came from. Their origin remains an important question in planetary science.

10. Mars Can Have Auroras Without a Global Magnetic Field

Earth is famous for its beautiful auroras, such as the Northern Lights.

But Mars can also produce auroras.

The situation is unusual because Mars does not have a global magnetic field like Earth.

Instead, Mars has areas of magnetized crust left over from an ancient magnetic field. Interactions between solar particles and the Martian atmosphere can produce auroral activity.

NASA's MAVEN mission has helped scientists understand Martian auroras and how the solar wind interacts with the planet's atmosphere.

New discovery: NASA reported in 2026 that MAVEN scientists found evidence that some Martian auroras form through a mechanism similar to one involved in Earth's auroras, although the process occurs on a much smaller scale at Mars.

This is another example of how Mars can behave differently from Earth while still sharing some interesting physical processes with our planet.

Bonus: Mars Is Actually Not Completely Red

We call Mars the Red Planet, but Mars is not literally red everywhere.

Its surface contains different shades of brown, gold and tan.

The planet appears red mainly because iron in rocks and dust has oxidized — basically a process similar to rusting.

Fine dusty material is lifted into the atmosphere and spreads around the planet, giving Mars its famous reddish appearance.

Simple example: Think about a piece of iron that becomes rusty on Earth. Mars has a lot of iron-rich material that has undergone oxidation, helping create its reddish colour.

Quick Comparison: Mars vs Earth

Feature	Earth	Mars
Day length	About 24 hours	About 24 hours 39 minutes
Year length	365.25 days	687 Earth days
Atmosphere	Thick, mainly nitrogen and oxygen	Very thin, mainly carbon dioxide
Moons	1	2
Surface water	Abundant liquid water	Mostly water ice today
Known life	Yes	None confirmed
Seasons	Yes	Yes

Why Is Mars So Interesting to Scientists?

Mars is one of the few places beyond Earth where we can directly study the surface using robotic explorers.

NASA and other space agencies have sent orbiters, landers and rovers to Mars. These spacecraft study the planet's rocks, atmosphere, climate, water history and potential habitability.

Mars is especially interesting because it was not always the dry planet we see today.

Its ancient rivers, lakes and minerals tell us that its environment changed dramatically over time.

Understanding those changes may help scientists answer one of the biggest questions in space science:

Did Mars ever have the right conditions for life?

So far, scientists have not found confirmed evidence of past or present life on Mars. But the search continues.

Could Humans Live on Mars?

Mars is often discussed as a possible future destination for humans, but living there would be extremely difficult.

The atmosphere is very thin and is mostly carbon dioxide. Temperatures can become extremely cold, and radiation from space is a major concern.

Future astronauts would need pressurized habitats, spacesuits, reliable power, water systems, food supplies and protection from radiation and dust.

However, Mars has one major advantage: water ice exists there.

If future explorers can access Martian water efficiently, it could become an important resource for long-duration missions.

10 Unusual Mars Facts to Remember

1. Mars can have blue-looking sunsets.
2. Olympus Mons is the largest known volcano in the Solar System.
3. Valles Marineris is the largest canyon system in the Solar System.
4. Mars had rivers, lakes and flowing water in its ancient past.
5. Most water on Mars today is frozen or underground.
6. Mars can experience enormous dust storms.
7. A Martian day is only about 39 minutes longer than an Earth day.
8. Mars has seasons because its axis is tilted similarly to Earth's.
9. Mars has two small moons: Phobos and Deimos.
10. Mars can produce auroras even though it lacks a global magnetic field.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Mars called the Red Planet?

Mars looks red because iron-rich material on its surface has oxidized, producing iron oxides that are similar to rust. Dust containing this material spreads through the atmosphere and gives the planet its reddish appearance.

Does Mars have water?

Yes. Mars has water mainly as ice, including underground and in polar regions. Evidence also shows that liquid water existed on the Martian surface in the ancient past.

Does Mars have oxygen?

Mars' atmosphere contains a very small amount of oxygen, but it is nowhere near enough for humans to breathe. The atmosphere is made mostly of carbon dioxide.

How long is one day on Mars?

A Martian solar day, called a sol, lasts about 24 hours and 39 minutes.

Does Mars have seasons?

Yes. Mars has seasons because its axis is tilted by about 25.2 degrees, similar to Earth's 23.4-degree tilt.

Could there be life on Mars?

Scientists have not confirmed life on Mars. However, evidence of ancient water makes Mars an important place to investigate whether the planet may once have had environments suitable for microbial life.

Conclusion

Mars is much more than a red dot in the night sky.

It has giant volcanoes, enormous canyons, ancient rivers, underground water ice, powerful dust storms, unusual sunsets, seasons and two strange little moons.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Mars is that it has changed so much over its history. The planet that once had rivers and lakes is now a cold and dry desert world.

By studying Mars, scientists are not only learning about another planet. They are also learning how planets can change over billions of years.

And perhaps one day, humans will stand on Mars and see one of those famous blue sunsets with their own eyes.

Learn More

• NASA – Mars Facts
• NASA – Sunrises and Sunsets on Mars
• NASA – Mars Moons
• NASA – Massive Dust Storms on Mars
• NASA – Seasons on Mars
• NASA – MAVEN and Martian Auroras

Image note: Images in this article are from NASA and Wikimedia Commons sources. Check the individual source page for the applicable credit and license information before reusing an image.