Picture of a Martian sunset taken by the Mars Pathfinder

Why is Mars called the Red Planet?

How many times have you heard Mars referred to as "the red planet?" Even though Mars might look that color in the sky, it's not exactly red. The Viking missions in the 1970's first found evidence that the red planet wasn't so red after all. Pathfinder confirmed it.

So, if Mars isn't really red, what color IS it? Butterscotch, say scientists.

Martian soil looks reddish because of oxidized (rusted) iron on the surface. The sky looks pink because of all the reddish dust in the air.

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