Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and is known as the Red Planet due to its reddish appearance as seen from Earth. The planet is named after Mars, the Roman god of war. A terrestrial planet, Mars has a thin atmosphere and surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of Earth. It has the highest mountain in the solar system, Olympus Mons, and the largest canyon, Valles Marineris. Mars' rotational period and seasonal cycles are also similar to those of the Earth. Of all the planets in our solar system other than Earth, Mars is the most likely to harbor liquid water, and perhaps life. Mars is currently host to three functional orbiting spacecraft: Mars Odyssey, Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. This is more than any planet except Earth. The surface is also home to the two Mars Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity). Geological evidence gathered by these and preceding missions suggests that Mars previously had large-scale water coverage, while observations also indicate that small geyser-like water flows have occurred in recent years. Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly shaped.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1429: Siege of Orléans: French troops led by Joan of Arc lifted the English siege and turned the tide of the Hundred Years' War. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Orl%C3%A9ans)

1541: The expedition led by Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto reached the Mississippi River. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernando_de_Soto_(explorer))

1794: French chemist and economist Antoine Lavoisier, a former royal tax collector with the Ferme Générale, was tried, convicted, and guillotined on the same day during the Reign of Terror. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Lavoisier)

1902: The volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée destroyed the town of St. Pierre, Martinique, killing over 30,000 people. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pel%C3%A9e)

1945: Most armed forces under German control ceased active operations by 23:01 hours CET at the end of World War II in Europe, in accordance with the capitulation documents signed by General Alfred Jodl on behalf of Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz the day before. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_World_War_II_in_Europe)

_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:

And, oh! what beautiful years were these When our hearts clung each to each;When life was filled and our senses thrilled In the first faint dawn of speech. Thus life by life and love by love We passed through the cycles strange,And breath by breath and death by death We followed the chain of change. -- Langdon Smith (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Langdon_Smith)