Mars

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in our solar system. It is named after Mars, the god of war in Roman mythology (the counterpart to Ares in Greek mythology), because of its red color as viewed in the night sky. This feature also earned it the name "The Red Planet." Mars has two moons (Phobos and Deimos) which are both small and oddly-shaped, possibly being captured asteroids. The prefix areo- refers to Mars in the same way geo- refers to Earth—e.g. areology versus geology.

Related Topics:
Planet - Sun - Solar system - Mars - Roman mythology - Ares - Greek mythology - Red - Moon - Phobos - Deimos - Asteroid - Earth

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The astronomical symbol for Mars is a circle with an arrow pointing northeast (Unicode: ♂). This symbol is a stylized representation of the shield and spear of the god Mars, and in biology it is used as a sign for the male sex.

Related Topics:
Astronomical symbol - Unicode - Male

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The Chinese, Korean, and Japanese cultures refer to the planet as the Fire Star, based on the Five Elements.

Related Topics:
Chinese - Korean - Japan - Five Elements

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