Thanks for visiting Mars. Here's some more information to make your stay more interesting.
Mars, the Red Planet, is the Roman God of War.
The planet got its name because of its red color. (An interesting note for those of you who favor colonization and extraterrestrial life forms--The Roman god Mars was a god of agriculture before becoming associated with the Greek god Ares.)
Mars has been known since prehistoric times. It is a favorite planet of science fiction writers as the most favorable place (other than Earth) to support humans. In the 1800's, astronomers noticed fine lines that they named 'canali', meaning channels. However other astronomers thought that Martians had dug canals to bring water from below Mars. It has been realized that they are not canals; rather they are huge cracks in the surface of Mars.
Mars is a great deal smaller than the Earth. Its diameter is about half the size of the Earth's. The mass is only 0.11 of Earth's, and it has about the same surface area as the Earth.
Because it receives about half the sunlight that is received from the Earth, it is quite colder. It has been estimated that the temperature on Mars ranges from the point that carbon dioxide gas or dry ice can exist to above the melting point of regular ice.
The atmosphere consists of carbon dioxide (95.3%) plus small amounts of nitrogen (2.7%), argon (1.6%), and traces of oxygen (0.15%) and water (0.03%).
The red regions are called continents which is Latin for "mainlands". This is an appropriate name because it covers almost three-quarters of the surface. Dark regions are called marias which is Latin for "seas". However don't be fooled because there are no large bodies of water on Mars. Surrounding the poles are white polar caps.
The first spacecraft to visit Mars was Mariner 4 in 1965. In 1976, two Viking landers followed. Three new spacecraft will arrive at 1997 at Mars.
The Martian atmosphere and temperatures are hostile to most forms of life due to the lack of oxygen and water. In fact, carbon dioxide is the main gas while a mass of hydrogen surrounds the planet. Clouds composed of dry snow crystals, dust, and frozen vapor often form. Mars also has severe dust storms with winds about 175 mph. These storms may last anywhere from a week to months. 
Much of Mars is cratered and very old. However, there are also younger ridges, hills, rift valleys, and plains. The southern hemisphere has ancient cratered highlands. In contrast, the northern hemisphere is younger and lower in elevation. We have found, with help from unmanned space vehicles, that there are red, dark, and white markings on small dislike objects.
Mars has two moons, discovered in 1877. American Astronomer Asaph Hall named them Demios and Phobes after two mythological sons of Mars. Demos, the outer moon, is five and a half (5.5) miles by seven (7) miles while Phoebes is ten (10) miles by fourteen (14) miles. They are pitted with craters and revolve around Mars in very circular orbits.
More cool web sites on Mars!!
Link to the official NASA site about Mars Pathfinder Mission!!!
Atlas of Mars--straight from NASA.
Cool Photo Gallery
Learn about Mars work.
Mars Mapmaker
