Mars explained to kids

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the seventh-largest planet in our solar system. It's often called the "Red Planet" because of its reddish color. Mars is smaller than Earth, with a diameter of about 4,200 miles (6,800 kilometers). Mars has two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos, which orbit close to the planet. Mars is a rocky, cold world with a thin atmosphere. It has valleys, mountains, and canyons, and is home to the highest mountain in our solar system, Olympus Mons. Mars is dry, with just a little water ice near the poles. The planet has intense dust storms that can last for weeks. Mars is similar to Earth in some ways: it has seasons, polar ice caps, volcanoes, and weather. But Mars is very different, too. It's much colder than Earth, and has a very thin atmosphere that doesn't protect it from the harmful rays of the Sun. Mars was named after the Roman god of war. The planet is sometimes called the "Red Planet" because of its reddish color. Mars is the closest planet to Earth, and is a popular target for robotic spacecraft. The planet is also home to the largest volcano in our solar system, Olympus Mons.