Space field note
A planet covered in rust
The Rusty Red Planet
Mars looks red because its dusty ground is covered in rusty iron, the same kind of rust you might find on an old nail left out in the rain.
Let's look closer
How did a whole planet turn the color of rust?
ars's rocks and soil are full of iron, and over billions of years that iron slowly reacted with tiny traces of oxygen, turning the surface a deep reddish-orange. Powerful winds have swept that rusty dust across the entire planet, and even kicked some of it up into the sky, which is why sunsets on Mars can look pale blue while its daytime sky looks pink or butterscotch.
Look for this
Explorer clue
On a clear night, look for a steady reddish-orange point of light that barely twinkles โ that might be Mars โ or watch video footage from a Mars rover to see its rusty ground up close.
Your turn to wonder
Curiosity question
What color do you imagine your favorite planet would be if you could visit it?
Keep wandering
