Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • United States
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Home
  2. Bing Gallery
  3. United States
  4. 2022
  5. November 28
  6. Mars
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Mars

November 28, 2022

Mars

© NASA/Alam

Fourth rock from the sun. Red Planet Day

About 140 million miles away from Earth, the most relatable planet in the solar system orbits the sun. Mars, popularly known as the Red Planet, is the fourth planet from the sun, after Mercury, Venus, and Earth. We know more about Mars than any other planet but our own. That knowledge has been gained over centuries and has grown exponentially in recent years with the successful landings on Mars of the Curiosity and Perseverance rovers in 2012 and 2021 respectively. Today we celebrate those and other accomplishments on Red Planet Day, which coincides with the launch of Mariner 4, the first probe sent to Mars, on this day in 1964.

Mars was observed in ancient times as a bright and moving object in the night sky, distinct from the stars. Even its reddish tint was observed by the naked eye. Our curiosity was cemented. It might not be the planet closest to ours—Venus owns that title—but it seems to be the planet that most captures our imagination. The more we learn, the more we can imagine that Mars might have been just like Earth a long time ago, possessing organic life, rivers and oceans, and a much thicker atmosphere than it does today. Current conditions on Mars, while not exactly habitable, are hospitable by comparison to those on other planets, maybe the most compelling reason we're inclined to imagine that living on the Red Planet might someday be possible.

moon dark black nature astronomy close

Related Images

The Milky Way framed by Double Arch in Arches National Park, UtahThe Milky Way framed by Double Arch in Arches National Park, Utah
Joshua trees under the Milky Way, CaliforniaJoshua trees under the Milky Way, California
Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Sexten Dolomites, ItalyTre Cime di Lavaredo, Sexten Dolomites, Italy
Milky Way, Aït Benhaddou, MoroccoMilky Way, Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Hammock camping on a lake in Central FloridaHammock camping on a lake in Central Florida
The moonThe moon
Milky Way over Big Bend National Park, TexasMilky Way over Big Bend National Park, Texas
Total solar eclipse photographed from Madras, Oregon on August 21, 2017Total solar eclipse photographed from Madras, Oregon on August 21, 2017

Today on Bing

Wild turkeys, New York

Wild turkeys, New York

Nov 28, 2024
Giant land art fresco by artist Saype in Istanbul, Türkiye

Giant land art fresco by artist Saype in Istanbul, Türkiye

Nov 28, 2023
Centennial Bridge towering above Soberanía National Park, Panama

Centennial Bridge towering above Soberanía National Park, Panama

Nov 28, 2021
Partly snow-covered slope in Val Cervara, an old-growth beech forest, Abruzzo, Italy

Partly snow-covered slope in Val Cervara, an old-growth beech forest, Abruzzo, Italy

Nov 28, 2020
Eastern wild turkeys strutting in Wisconsin

Eastern wild turkeys strutting in Wisconsin

Nov 28, 2019

Related Tags

astronomy sky landscape nature outdoor night sky night star dark grass tree cloud mountain moon astronomical object cave lightning sunset rock lake
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
  • © 2025 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.