MARS

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun named for the god of war, and one of the most prominent and worshiped gods. In early Roman history he was a god of spring, growth in nature, fertility,and the protector of cattle. Mars is commonly referred to as the Red Planet. The rocks, soil and sky have a red or pink hue. The distinct red color was observed by stargazers throughout history.

Before space exploration, Mars was considered the best candidate for having extraterrestrial life. Astronomers thought they saw straight lines cris-crossing its surface. This led to the popular belief that irrigation canals on the planet had been constructed by intelligent beings. In 1938, when Orson Welles broadcasted a radio drama based on the science fiction classic War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells, enough people believed in the tale of invading Martians to cause a near panic in the United States.