Planet Profiles: Mars — The Red Planet and How to Observe It

Mars has fascinated humanity for thousands of years.

Its warm orange-red colour makes it stand out against the stars, while its wandering motion across the night sky reveals that it is much closer to us than the distant constellations behind it.

Through a telescope, Mars becomes even more intriguing. Under favourable conditions, observers may glimpse bright polar ice, dark surface markings, pale deserts, drifting clouds and—occasionally—the effects of enormous dust storms.

Mars is also the planet that most closely resembles Earth.

It has seasons, polar caps, volcanoes, valleys, weather, a day lasting just over 24 hours and unmistakable evidence that liquid water once flowed across its surface. Today, however, Mars is a cold desert with a thin atmosphere and a landscape exposed to intense radiation.

In this instalment of our Planet Profiles series, we explore how Mars formed, why it appears red, what happened to its water and whether it could once have supported life. We will also explain how to find Mars from the UK, what you can realistically see through a telescope and how to capture the Red Planet with a camera.

Mars at a Glance

• Planet type: Rocky terrestrial planet

• Position from the Sun: Fourth

• Average distance from the Sun: Approximately 228 million kilometres

• Diameter: Approximately 6,779 kilometres

• Length of one day: Approximately 24 hours and 37 minutes

• Length of one year: Approximately 687 Earth days

• Number of moons: Two

• Names of moons: Phobos and Deimos

• Ring system: None

• Surface gravity: Approximately 38% of Earth’s gravity

• Average surface temperature: Approximately –63°C

• Atmosphere: Mainly carbon dioxide

• Highest known volcano: Olympus Mons

• Largest canyon system: Valles Marineris

• Known to support life: No confirmed evidence

• Visible without a telescope: Yes

• Best time to observe: Around opposition

Why Is Mars Called the Red Planet?

Mars appears orange, rust-red or reddish-brown because its surface contains large amounts of iron-rich material.

Over time, iron within Martian rocks and dust reacted with oxygen. This produced iron oxides—the same general process responsible for rust on Earth.

Fine iron-rich dust now covers much of the planet. It is lifted into the atmosphere by winds and dust storms, giving both the surface and the sky above it a reddish appearance.

Mars does not always look deep red through a telescope. Depending on atmospheric conditions, equipment and visual perception, it may appear:

• Pale orange

• Salmon pink

• Golden yellow

• Rust-coloured

• Reddish-brown

• Bright cream around the polar regions

The planet’s dark markings are not oceans or vegetation. They are areas where darker rock is exposed or where winds have moved lighter-coloured dust away from the surface.

How Did Mars Form?

Mars formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago from dust, rock and metal surrounding the young Sun.

Particles within the early Solar System collided and accumulated, gradually producing larger objects called planetesimals. Repeated impacts eventually created the rocky planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

Mars developed into a smaller world than Earth or Venus. Its lower mass had important consequences for its future.

Because Mars is smaller:

• It cooled more quickly

• Much of its internal geological activity declined

• Its gravity was less able to retain a thick atmosphere

• Its magnetic field largely disappeared

• Liquid water became increasingly unstable at the surface

Young Mars was much more active than the planet we see today.

Volcanoes erupted, asteroids struck the surface and water flowed through rivers into lakes and possibly seas. Some regions may once have provided environments suitable for microbial life.

Over billions of years, Mars changed into the cold, dry desert world explored by spacecraft today.

What Is Inside Mars?

Mars is divided into several main layers.

The crust

The outer crust is composed mainly of volcanic rock, minerals and iron-rich material.

Its thickness varies across the planet. Mars displays a striking difference between its two hemispheres: much of the northern hemisphere consists of relatively smooth lowlands, while the southern hemisphere contains older, elevated and heavily cratered terrain.

The origin of this contrast remains an important subject of research.

The mantle

Beneath the crust lies a rocky mantle.

The Martian mantle was once much more geologically active. Rising molten material produced enormous volcanoes and extensive lava plains.

Mars still loses heat from its interior, but its surface does not appear to be divided into moving tectonic plates like Earth’s.

The core

Mars has a metallic core composed largely of iron, together with lighter elements such as sulphur.

Measurements from NASA’s InSight lander showed that the planet’s internal structure differs in important ways from Earth’s. Mars experiences seismic activity known as marsquakes, allowing scientists to investigate layers that cannot be reached directly.

Does Mars Have Plate Tectonics?

Mars does not appear to have active global plate tectonics comparable to Earth.

Earth’s crust is divided into plates that move, collide, separate and recycle material into the mantle. This movement contributes to earthquakes, mountain building and volcanic activity.

On Mars, the crust appears to have remained largely fixed above long-lived volcanic regions.

This may help explain the extraordinary size of some Martian volcanoes. A volcano could remain above the same source of rising magma for an immense period, allowing repeated eruptions to build a mountain far larger than any individual volcano on Earth.

Mars may still experience limited geological activity, but there is no evidence that its entire surface is currently being recycled by moving plates.

Olympus Mons: The Largest Volcano in the Solar System

Mars is home to Olympus Mons, the largest known volcano in the Solar System.

It rises approximately 22 kilometres above the surrounding plains and measures hundreds of kilometres across. Its base is so broad that an observer standing on the surface would not be able to see the entire mountain at once.

Olympus Mons is a shield volcano, formed by repeated flows of relatively fluid lava.

It grew to such an enormous size because:

• Mars has lower gravity than Earth

• The crust remained above a long-lived volcanic hotspot

• There were no moving tectonic plates to carry the volcano away

• Lava accumulated over a very long period

• Erosion is generally slower than on Earth

Its summit contains a complex caldera formed when underground magma chambers emptied and collapsed.

Olympus Mons is enormous, but it cannot normally be distinguished as an individual mountain through an amateur telescope. Under exceptional conditions, its region may contribute to subtle changes in brightness, particularly when clouds form around the summit.

Valles Marineris: Mars’s Giant Canyon System

Mars also contains one of the largest canyon systems in the Solar System.

Valles Marineris extends for more than 4,000 kilometres—roughly one-quarter of the way around the planet. In places, it reaches hundreds of kilometres across and several kilometres deep.

It is far larger than the Grand Canyon.

Valles Marineris was not formed entirely by one river. It probably began when the Martian crust stretched and fractured near the enormous volcanic region known as Tharsis.

Its development was later influenced by:

• Landslides

• Collapsing ground

• Flowing water

• Erosion

• Volcanic activity

• Movement of ice or groundwater

The canyon walls expose layers of Martian history, making the region especially valuable to planetary scientists.

What Is the Surface of Mars Like?

The Martian surface contains an extraordinary variety of landscapes.

These include:

• Impact craters

• Volcanoes

• Lava plains

• Sand dunes

• Dry river valleys

• Ancient lake beds

• Layered sedimentary rocks

• Dust-covered plains

• Polar ice

• Canyon systems

• Landslides

• Channels formed by catastrophic floods

• Evidence of glaciers

• Fields of loose rocks and boulders

Mars would not look uniformly red to someone standing on its surface.

Images from landers and rovers reveal brown, orange, gold, grey, black and pale cream-coloured rocks. The sky often appears dusty butterscotch during the day, while sunsets can display a bluish glow around the Sun.

The surface is extremely dry, cold and exposed. Fine dust can cover equipment, enter mechanical systems and reduce the efficiency of solar panels.

What Is the Atmosphere of Mars Made Of?

Mars has a very thin atmosphere composed mainly of:

• Approximately 95% carbon dioxide

• Nitrogen

• Argon

• Small amounts of oxygen

• Carbon monoxide

• Water vapour

• Traces of other gases

Surface pressure is less than 1% of the average pressure at sea level on Earth.

This atmosphere is far too thin for humans to breathe and does not provide the protection we receive from Earth’s much denser air.

Despite its thinness, the Martian atmosphere can still produce:

• Winds

• Clouds

• Fog

• Frost

• Dust devils

• Regional dust storms

• Planet-encircling dust storms

• Seasonal changes

• Carbon-dioxide snow in polar regions

Because atmospheric pressure is so low, stable liquid water cannot remain exposed across most of the present-day surface. It would normally freeze, evaporate or boil away.

Why Is Mars So Cold?

Mars is colder than Earth for several reasons.

It is farther from the Sun, receiving less solar energy. Its atmosphere is also too thin to trap and redistribute heat as effectively as Earth’s.

Temperatures vary considerably according to:

• Location

• Altitude

• Season

• Time of day

• Dust levels

• Distance from the equator

• Local weather conditions

A sunny afternoon near the equator can occasionally become relatively mild, but temperatures fall rapidly after sunset. Winter temperatures near the poles can become extremely low.

The average surface temperature is approximately –63°C.

Mars does have a greenhouse effect because its atmosphere contains carbon dioxide, but the atmosphere is too thin for this to warm the surface as dramatically as it does on Venus.

Does Mars Have Seasons?

Yes. Mars experiences spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Its axis is tilted by approximately 25 degrees, similar to Earth’s axial tilt of about 23.4 degrees. As Mars travels around the Sun, each hemisphere alternately tilts towards and away from it.

However, Martian seasons differ from ours.

A year on Mars lasts approximately 687 Earth days, so its seasons are much longer. Mars also follows a more elliptical orbit than Earth, causing noticeable variations in its distance from the Sun.

This means:

• Seasons are not equal in length

• Southern summers are shorter and warmer

• Northern summers are longer and cooler

• Polar caps grow and shrink with the seasons

• Dust-storm activity changes throughout the year

• Atmospheric pressure varies as carbon dioxide freezes and evaporates at the poles

Watching the polar caps change is one of the most rewarding long-term projects available to experienced Mars observers.

The Polar Caps of Mars

Mars has permanent polar regions covered by water ice, together with seasonal deposits of frozen carbon dioxide.

During winter, temperatures become low enough for carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to freeze onto the surface. The visible polar cap grows.

As spring and summer arrive, much of this frozen carbon dioxide turns directly back into gas. The cap retreats, revealing darker ground and a smaller residual cap containing water ice.

Through a telescope, a Martian polar cap may appear as a tiny bright white patch at the edge of the disc.

Its visibility depends on:

• Which hemisphere is tilted towards Earth

• The Martian season

• Mars’s apparent size

• Atmospheric steadiness

• Telescope aperture and optical quality

• Accurate focus

• The presence of dust or cloud

The cap may look surprisingly prominent because of its strong contrast with the surrounding orange surface.

What Happened to Mars’s Water?

Mars is dry today, but its surface preserves compelling evidence that liquid water once flowed across it.

Spacecraft have discovered:

• Ancient river valleys

• Dried-up lake beds

• Delta deposits

• Rounded pebbles shaped by flowing water

• Minerals that form in water

• Layered sediments

• Channels created by enormous floods

• Water ice beneath the surface

• Buried glaciers

• Ice at the poles

Billions of years ago, Mars probably had a thicker atmosphere and a warmer climate. Rivers flowed across the landscape and collected in lakes, including the ancient lake that once occupied Jezero Crater.

As Mars cooled and lost much of its magnetic protection, its atmosphere was gradually stripped away and changed. Surface pressure fell, temperatures dropped and exposed liquid water became unstable.

Some water escaped into space. Large quantities became frozen at the poles, beneath the surface and within minerals.

Mars may still contain a substantial amount of water ice, but stable liquid water is unlikely to persist openly on its present surface.

Did Mars Once Have Oceans?

Some scientists believe the northern lowlands may once have contained a large ocean.

Possible evidence includes:

• Shoreline-like features

• Sedimentary deposits

• Ancient valley networks flowing towards the north

• Minerals associated with water

• The low elevation of the northern plains

• Climate and geological models

However, interpreting ancient Martian landscapes is difficult.

Mars has been altered by impacts, volcanic activity, erosion, dust movement and billions of years of geological change. Some proposed shorelines do not follow a consistent elevation, although movement of the crust or changes in the planet’s orientation could potentially explain this.

It is clear that Mars once possessed lakes, rivers and groundwater. Whether it also supported a long-lasting global ocean remains under investigation.

Could Life Have Existed on Mars?

Mars may once have had environments capable of supporting simple microbial life.

Ancient Mars possessed several important ingredients:

• Liquid water

• Carbon-containing molecules

• Sources of chemical energy

• Essential elements

• Lakes and rivers

• Sediments capable of preserving evidence

• A thicker atmosphere than it has today

This does not prove that life existed.

No confirmed organism, fossil or unmistakable biological signature has been discovered on Mars. Scientists therefore distinguish carefully between a place being habitable and a place actually being inhabited.

NASA’s Curiosity rover has found evidence that ancient Gale Crater contained long-lasting environments that could have supported microbial life.

Perseverance is exploring Jezero Crater, where an ancient river carried sediment into a lake and formed a delta. Such deposits can preserve organic material and possible signs of ancient microorganisms on Earth.

The search is focused mainly on ancient life because the modern Martian surface is cold, dry and exposed to damaging radiation.

Could Life Survive on Mars Today?

The Martian surface is an extremely hostile environment.

Challenges include:

• Intense ultraviolet radiation

• High levels of cosmic radiation

• Very low atmospheric pressure

• Extreme cold

• Severe dryness

• Reactive chemicals within the soil

• Limited accessible energy

• Large temperature changes

If life exists on Mars today, many scientists consider it more likely to survive below the surface, where rock and soil could provide protection from radiation and temperature extremes.

Possible habitats might include:

• Underground ice

• Deep rock fractures

• Areas where liquid brines temporarily form

• Regions warmed by residual geological heat

There is currently no confirmed evidence of living organisms on Mars.

Strict planetary-protection procedures are used to reduce the risk of carrying Earth microbes to potentially sensitive Martian environments.

Why Did Mars Lose Its Magnetic Field?

Early Mars appears to have possessed a global magnetic field generated by movement within its core.

As the smaller planet cooled, its internal dynamo weakened or stopped. Mars lost most of its global magnetic protection, although magnetised areas remain preserved within parts of the crust.

Without a strong global field, the solar wind could interact more directly with the upper atmosphere.

Over enormous periods, particles were stripped away into space. Other processes also removed gases or locked them into surface materials.

Atmospheric loss helped transform Mars from a world with flowing water into the cold desert we see today.

Understanding this process is important because it demonstrates how a planet’s interior, magnetic field, atmosphere and long-term habitability can be connected.

Dust Storms on Mars

Dust plays a major role in the Martian environment.

Small dust devils move across the surface, while larger storms can cover regions measuring thousands of kilometres across. Occasionally, dust expands until much of the planet is obscured.

Mars is especially prone to large dust storms because:

• Its surface contains abundant fine dust

• Its atmosphere can generate strong winds

• Solar heating produces atmospheric circulation

• Seasonal changes influence weather patterns

• Dust absorbs sunlight and warms the surrounding atmosphere

A planet-wide storm does not necessarily produce powerful winds comparable to the most destructive storms on Earth. The atmosphere is very thin, so even fast-moving air exerts relatively little force.

The dust itself remains dangerous to equipment. It can coat solar panels, interfere with moving components and reduce visibility.

During a major storm, telescopic observers may see the familiar dark markings fade or disappear beneath a bright orange haze.

Mars’s Two Moons

Mars has two small moons: Phobos and Deimos.

They were discovered by the American astronomer Asaph Hall in 1877.

Their irregular shapes resemble asteroids, but their origin is not completely settled. They may be captured asteroids, remnants of a larger body or material that gathered after a major collision.

Phobos

Phobos is the larger and closer moon.

It orbits Mars approximately three times during each Martian day. Because it travels faster around Mars than Mars rotates, an observer on the surface would see Phobos rise in the west and set in the east.

Phobos is gradually moving closer to Mars. Tens of millions of years from now, it may break apart and form a temporary ring or collide with the planet.

Its most prominent feature is the enormous Stickney crater.

Deimos

Deimos is smaller and orbits farther away.

It takes approximately 30 hours to complete one orbit. From the Martian surface, it would resemble an unusually bright star rather than a large moon.

Both moons are extremely difficult to see through ordinary amateur telescopes because they are faint and remain close to the glare of Mars.

How Long Is a Day on Mars?

A Martian solar day lasts approximately 24 hours and 37 minutes.

This is remarkably similar to Earth’s 24-hour day.

A day on Mars is known as a sol. Mission teams use sols when planning the activities of landers and rovers.

The similarity between the two planets’ rotation periods means that humans working on Mars would experience a familiar cycle of daylight and darkness.

However, mission controllers on Earth sometimes temporarily adjust their working schedules to Martian time. Each Martian day begins about 37 minutes later according to an Earth clock, causing work shifts to move gradually through our day and night.

How Long Is a Year on Mars?

Mars takes approximately 687 Earth days to orbit the Sun.

A Martian year is therefore almost twice as long as a year on Earth.

Mars travels around the Sun at an average distance of approximately 228 million kilometres. Because its orbit is more elliptical than Earth’s, its distance from the Sun changes noticeably during the year.

This influences:

• Seasonal temperatures

• The length of each season

• Polar-cap behaviour

• Dust-storm activity

• The distance between Earth and Mars during different oppositions

Not every close approach of Mars is equally favourable.

How High Could You Jump on Mars?

Surface gravity on Mars is approximately 38% of Earth’s gravity.

A person who weighs 80 kilograms on Earth would still have a mass of 80 kilograms, but would experience a weight equivalent to roughly 30 kilograms under Martian gravity.

You could jump higher and objects would fall more slowly than they do on Earth.

However, Mars does not have “no gravity.” Its gravity is strong enough to hold people, spacecraft, dust and a thin atmosphere to the surface.

The long-term effect of Martian gravity on human health is unknown. It is stronger than the Moon’s gravity but much weaker than Earth’s.

How Do You Find Mars From the UK?

Mars can be seen without a telescope when it is suitably positioned in the sky.

It normally resembles a bright orange-red star. Unlike a true star, it may shine with a steadier light when high above the horizon, although atmospheric turbulence can still make it flicker.

The planet moves against the background constellations, so its position changes throughout the year.

The easiest way to locate Mars is to use:

• A current astronomy app

• Planetarium software

• A monthly sky guide

• An astronomical almanac

• A GoTo telescope

• A star chart showing the planets

• Advice from a local astronomy society

Mars is not visible every night. At times, it lies too close to the Sun from our viewpoint and disappears into the daylight or twilight glare.

When well placed, however, it can remain visible for many months.

When Is the Best Time to Observe Mars?

Mars is best observed around opposition.

Opposition occurs when Earth passes approximately between Mars and the Sun. Mars then appears opposite the Sun in our sky.

Around opposition, Mars:

• Rises near sunset

• Remains visible for most of the night

• Reaches its greatest apparent brightness

• Appears larger through a telescope

• Is relatively close to Earth

• Is usually available for convenient evening observation

Mars reaches opposition roughly once every 26 months.

Begin observing several months before opposition and continue for several months afterwards. This provides an opportunity to watch the planet grow, change and later shrink as the distance between Earth and Mars varies.

Mars was at opposition in January 2025. Its next observing cycle builds through the second half of 2026, with the planet becoming better placed and reaching its next opposition in early 2027.

Always check a current astronomy app or observing calendar for precise visibility from your location.

Why Are Some Mars Oppositions Better Than Others?

The orbits of Earth and Mars are not perfect circles.

Mars follows a noticeably elliptical orbit, so its distance from the Sun changes significantly. As a result, some oppositions bring Mars much closer to Earth than others.

During a particularly favourable opposition, Mars can appear:

• Brighter

• Larger

• Easier to resolve

• More responsive to high magnification

However, distance is not the only consideration for UK observers.

A slightly smaller Mars positioned high in the sky can produce a better telescopic view than a larger Mars remaining low above the horizon.

A high-altitude apparition reduces the amount of Earth’s turbulent atmosphere through which the planet must be viewed.

The quality of a Mars observation therefore depends on a combination of:

• Earth–Mars distance

• Apparent diameter

• Altitude above the horizon

• Atmospheric steadiness

• Telescope quality

• Observer experience

• Local weather

• Martian dust activity

Why Does Mars Sometimes Move Backwards?

Most of the time, Mars moves gradually eastwards against the background stars.

Around opposition, however, it appears to slow, stop and travel westwards for a period before resuming its normal direction.

This apparent backward movement is called retrograde motion.

Mars does not actually reverse its orbit.

The effect occurs because faster-moving Earth overtakes Mars. The changing line of sight makes Mars appear to trace a loop or curved path against the distant constellations.

Tracking this movement over several weeks provides a direct demonstration that Earth and Mars are both travelling around the Sun.

What Can You See on Mars Through a Telescope?

Mars is one of the most challenging and rewarding planets to observe.

At low magnification, it may appear as little more than a tiny orange disc. With a suitable telescope, steady air and careful observation, it can reveal:

• A clearly defined planetary disc

• Bright polar caps or polar hoods

• Dark surface markings

• Pale orange desert regions

• Changes caused by the planet’s rotation

• Bright clouds or hazes

• Morning or evening limb clouds

• The effects of large dust storms

• A slightly gibbous phase away from opposition

Mars is the only planet on which amateur observers can routinely attempt to see markings associated with the solid surface.

The view will not resemble a spacecraft photograph. Details are small, subtle and affected by atmospheric turbulence.

Patience is essential.

Can You See the Polar Caps?

Yes. The polar caps are among the most accessible Martian features.

A cap may appear as a tiny white patch at the top or bottom of the planet’s disc. Its apparent position depends on the telescope, diagonal and camera orientation being used.

The cap is easiest to detect when:

• Mars is near opposition

• The planet has a useful apparent diameter

• The relevant pole is tilted towards Earth

• Atmospheric conditions are steady

• Focus is precise

• The telescope has cooled to the outdoor temperature

The polar cap can shrink noticeably over several weeks as summer progresses in that Martian hemisphere.

Recording its changing size provides an excellent long-term observing project.

Can You See Surface Markings?

Under good conditions, darker regions can be seen through medium-sized telescopes.

One of the best-known is Syrtis Major, a broad dark feature that can appear approximately triangular. Other recognised regions include Mare Cimmerium, Mare Sirenum, Sinus Meridiani and Solis Lacus.

Historical names such as “mare,” meaning sea, were assigned before the true nature of the features was understood. They are not bodies of liquid water.

Dark regions change slowly as winds move bright dust across the surface. A marking that appears prominent during one observing season may look different during another.

Mars rotates in just over 24 hours, so features return at nearly—but not exactly—the same time on consecutive nights. Observe over several hours and you may notice markings moving across the disc.

What Are the Martian “Canals”?

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some observers reported seeing straight lines across Mars.

These became known as the Martian canals.

The idea partly arose from a translation of the Italian word canali, meaning channels. Some people interpreted the supposed lines as artificial waterways constructed by an advanced civilisation.

Modern spacecraft have shown that no global network of artificial canals exists.

The reported lines were probably produced by a combination of:

• Extremely small surface features

• Atmospheric distortion

• Low-resolution telescopes

• Visual perception joining separate markings

• Expectation and suggestion

• Difficulty observing a tiny planetary disc

The canal episode remains an important lesson in careful observation. Even experienced observers can interpret ambiguous details in ways influenced by expectation.

Can You See Mars’s Moons?

Phobos and Deimos are extremely difficult targets for amateur observers.

Although Mars itself is bright, its moons are faint and remain very close to the planet. Glare from Mars can overwhelm them.

Observing them generally requires:

• A relatively large telescope

• Excellent transparency

• High magnification

• Precise timing

• Accurate positional information

• A method of blocking Mars’s glare

• A stable mount

• Considerable observing experience

A small occulting bar placed at the eyepiece can hide the bright planet while leaving the surrounding area visible.

For most beginners, the Martian disc, polar caps and surface markings are far more realistic targets.

What Telescope Is Best for Viewing Mars?

Mars can be observed with many different telescope designs.

Good options include:

• Medium and large-aperture refractors

• Maksutov-Cassegrain telescopes

• Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes

• Well-collimated Newtonian reflectors

• Dobsonian telescopes

• Computerised GoTo telescopes

A small telescope can show Mars as a disc and may reveal a polar cap when conditions are favourable.

A larger aperture provides greater resolution and a brighter image at high magnification, improving the chances of detecting subtle markings.

However, aperture alone does not guarantee a good view.

Planetary performance also depends on:

• Optical quality

• Accurate collimation

• Thermal stability

• A secure mount

• Precise focus

• Atmospheric conditions

• Suitable magnification

• Observer patience

Explore our range of telescopes for instruments suitable for lunar and planetary observation.

How Much Aperture Do You Need?

There is no single minimum aperture for observing Mars.

As a general guide:

60–80mm telescopes

These can show Mars as a small disc. Near opposition, a polar cap or broad dark feature may become visible under good conditions.

90–130mm telescopes

These provide a more convincing planetary view and make it easier to use moderate or high magnification. Polar regions and major dark markings become more accessible.

150–200mm telescopes

A well-adjusted telescope in this range can reveal considerable Martian detail when the atmosphere is steady.

Telescopes above 200mm

Larger instruments offer greater theoretical resolution and brightness, but their performance remains limited by atmospheric turbulence, cooling and optical alignment.

A smaller telescope producing a sharp, steady image can outperform a larger instrument that has not cooled or been correctly collimated.

Our guide to telescope aperture explains how the diameter of the main lens or mirror affects resolution, brightness and planetary performance.

How Much Magnification Should You Use?

Mars usually benefits from moderate to high magnification.

Begin at low power to find and centre the planet. Increase the magnification gradually until you reach the best balance between image size, sharpness and contrast.

A useful range for many telescopes is approximately 100× to 250×.

Higher magnification may work when:

• Mars is high above the horizon

• The atmosphere is exceptionally steady

• The telescope has sufficient aperture

• The optics are correctly collimated

• The instrument has reached the outdoor temperature

• Focus is precise

• Mars is near opposition

If the image becomes dim, soft or unstable, reduce the power.

Remember:

Telescope focal length ÷ Eyepiece focal length = Magnification

A telescope with a focal length of 1,200mm used with a 6mm eyepiece produces:

1,200 ÷ 6 = 200× magnification

Explore our range of eyepieces and Barlow lenses to create useful planetary magnifications.

Can Filters Improve the View of Mars?

Planetary filters can increase the contrast between certain Martian features, although their effectiveness depends on the telescope and observer.

Potential options include:

• Red or orange filters to strengthen dark surface markings

• Yellow filters to improve general contrast

• Green filters to emphasise polar regions, clouds and frost

• Blue filters to reveal atmospheric clouds and limb haze

• Neutral-density filters if the planet appears uncomfortably bright

• Specialist contrast filters designed for planetary observation

Filters do not create details that the telescope cannot resolve. They alter brightness and colour contrast, sometimes making an existing feature easier to recognise.

In small telescopes, a strong filter may make the image too dim. A pale or moderate filter is usually a better starting point.

Browse our finderscopes and filters collection for compatible observing accessories.

Why Does Mars Look Blurry?

Mars may appear soft, unstable or constantly moving for several reasons.

Poor atmospheric seeing

Turbulent air bends the planet’s light, causing the image to ripple and distort.

Low altitude

When Mars is close to the horizon, its light passes through more of Earth’s atmosphere.

A warm telescope

Heat escaping from the telescope creates moving air within or around the instrument.

Poor collimation

Reflectors and some compound telescopes require accurate optical alignment.

Excessive magnification

Increasing power beyond the useful limit only enlarges blur.

Poor focus

Mars is small enough that even a slight focusing error can conceal surface detail.

Local heat sources

Roofs, roads, walls and paved areas release stored heat throughout the night.

Our guide to seeing and atmospheric conditions explains why a clear sky does not always produce a sharp planetary image.

Why Does Mars Sometimes Show Coloured Edges?

When Mars is low in the sky, you may notice a blue fringe on one side and a red fringe on the other.

This is usually caused by atmospheric dispersion.

Earth’s atmosphere acts rather like a weak prism, separating the planet’s light into different colours. The effect becomes stronger as Mars approaches the horizon.

It can make fine detail difficult to detect.

To reduce the effect:

• Observe when Mars is highest

• Avoid viewing immediately after it rises

• Use moderate rather than excessive magnification

• Consider an atmospheric dispersion corrector for advanced imaging

• Wait for nights with steady air

Mars itself has not developed coloured edges; the effect is produced within Earth’s atmosphere.

Tips for Observing Mars

Begin before opposition

Start observing while Mars is still approaching Earth. You can watch its apparent diameter and brightness increase over time.

Observe regularly

Surface features rotate into view and atmospheric conditions change from night to night.

Wait until Mars is high

The best view often comes when the planet crosses the highest part of its path through the sky.

Allow the telescope to cool

Place the telescope outside safely before observing so its temperature can move closer to the surrounding air.

Check collimation

A slightly misaligned reflector may still show stars but lose the fine contrast needed for planetary detail.

Use a comfortable observing position

A steady seated position helps you concentrate and see more than an awkward position at the eyepiece.

Observe for longer than a few seconds

The atmosphere may blur the view most of the time but briefly become steadier, revealing far more detail.

Shield your eyes from stray light

Avoid direct streetlights and use a hood or observing cloth if necessary.

Try several magnifications

Conditions determine the useful power on each night. Do not assume the shortest eyepiece will provide the best result.

Make a sketch

Sketching encourages careful observation and helps you record the changing appearance of the planet.

Keeping a Mars Observing Record

Mars is an excellent target for an observing journal.

Record:

• Date and time

• Telescope

• Eyepiece

• Magnification

• Filters used

• Apparent size

• Atmospheric steadiness

• Transparency

• Mars’s altitude

• Polar-cap visibility

• Dark markings

• Cloud or haze

• Dust activity

• Drawing orientation

You may also include the central meridian—the Martian longitude facing Earth at the time of observation. Astronomy software can calculate this and help identify the features in view.

Over several weeks, your records may reveal rotation, seasonal changes and differences in dust coverage.

Can Mars Be Seen From a Town or City?

Yes. Mars is a good target for urban observers.

Its brightness means that light pollution has relatively little effect on its visibility. Unlike faint galaxies and nebulae, planets do not require a dark rural sky.

A garden, driveway, balcony or urban park may provide a useful observing position if:

• Mars is not blocked by buildings

• The telescope can be placed securely

• Direct lights can be avoided

• You are not looking across a warm roof

• The planet can be observed high above the horizon

• The location is safe throughout the session

Atmospheric steadiness is more important than sky darkness.

An urban site with stable air may produce a better planetary image than a dark location affected by severe turbulence.

Can You See Mars With Binoculars?

Yes, but binoculars will normally show Mars as a bright orange point rather than a detailed disc.

Binoculars are useful for:

• Finding Mars

• Following its movement through the constellations

• Viewing conjunctions

• Observing the Moon and Mars together

• Exploring nearby star fields

• Comparing its colour with surrounding stars

Large, tripod-mounted astronomy binoculars may begin to suggest a tiny disc during a favourable opposition, but they will not reveal the level of detail available through a telescope.

Browse our astronomy binoculars for portable wide-field observing.

Can You Photograph Mars?

Yes. Mars can be photographed as part of a landscape or at high magnification through a telescope.

Landscape photography

A standard camera and lens can record Mars as a bright orange point above:

• Mountains

• Coastlines

• Historic buildings

• Rural landscapes

• Trees

• The Moon

• Other planets

• Star clusters

• Colourful twilight skies

A tripod and a suitable exposure will help preserve sharp stars.

Smartphone photography

Holding a smartphone over the eyepiece may record Mars as a disc, although it can be difficult to maintain focus and alignment.

A dedicated smartphone adapter provides a more stable connection.

Single photographs may show the polar cap or a broad dark feature, but video recording often produces better results.

Planetary imaging

Detailed Mars photography normally involves:

• A telescope

• A planetary or astronomy camera

• A tracking mount

• A Barlow lens where appropriate

• High-speed video capture

• Image-stacking software

• Wavelet sharpening or similar processing

• Careful colour balancing

Thousands of video frames are recorded during a short period. Software analyses the sequence, selects the sharpest frames and combines them.

This reduces noise and helps overcome moments of atmospheric blur.

Explore our astrophotography and imaging collection for cameras, adapters and imaging accessories.

Tips for Imaging Mars

Record short videos

Mars rotates, although not so rapidly that short captures create major problems. Several videos can be recorded and processed separately.

Use a high frame rate

Faster capture increases the chance of recording sharp frames during brief moments of steady air.

Avoid overexposure

The polar cap and brighter desert regions can lose detail if the image is too bright.

Focus carefully

Fine focusing is one of the most important parts of planetary imaging.

Check collimation before recording

High-resolution imaging quickly reveals optical misalignment.

Capture when Mars is high

This reduces turbulence, colour dispersion and atmospheric absorption.

Process gently

Excessive sharpening can create false edges, bright rings and artificial-looking detail.

Record capture information

Note the telescope, camera, Barlow lens, filter, frame rate and time. This helps you compare results and identify the features shown.

Important Mars Missions

Mars has been visited by orbiters, landers, rovers and even a small helicopter.

These missions have transformed Mars from a mysterious telescopic world into a planet mapped, sampled and explored in remarkable detail.

Mariner 4

NASA’s Mariner 4 completed the first successful flyby of Mars in 1965.

Its small collection of images revealed a cratered surface and ended many hopes that Mars supported obvious advanced life.

Viking 1 and Viking 2

The Viking missions reached Mars in 1976.

Each consisted of an orbiter and lander. The landers returned colour photographs, analysed the soil and conducted biology experiments.

Their results did not provide confirmed evidence of life, but the interpretation of some measurements continues to be discussed.

Mars Pathfinder and Sojourner

Mars Pathfinder landed in 1997 and deployed Sojourner, the first successful rover on another planet.

The small rover demonstrated technologies that helped make later mobile exploration possible.

Spirit and Opportunity

NASA’s twin rovers landed in 2004.

Designed for missions lasting about 90 Martian days, both survived far longer. Opportunity continued operating for nearly 15 years.

They discovered extensive geological evidence that water had affected ancient Mars.

Mars Express

ESA’s Mars Express began science operations in 2004 and remains in operation.

It studies the planet’s atmosphere, surface, subsurface and moons. Its observations have helped trace the history of water and map Mars in impressive detail.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter carries an exceptionally powerful camera capable of revealing small surface features.

It maps landing sites, studies seasonal changes and relays information from surface missions to Earth.

Curiosity

Curiosity landed inside Gale Crater in 2012.

The rover discovered evidence that the crater once contained environments capable of supporting microbial life. It continues to investigate ancient rocks, climate, chemistry and the long-term history of water.

MAVEN

NASA’s MAVEN orbiter studies the Martian upper atmosphere and its interaction with the solar wind.

Its measurements help scientists understand how Mars lost much of its atmosphere over time.

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter

ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter studies small quantities of gases within the Martian atmosphere, including methane.

It also provides an important communications relay between surface missions and Earth.

InSight

NASA’s InSight lander operated from 2018 until 2022.

It detected marsquakes and gathered important measurements of the planet’s crust, mantle and core.

Perseverance

Perseverance landed in Jezero Crater in February 2021.

Its objectives include:

• Studying the geology of the crater

• Investigating ancient habitability

• Searching for possible signs of past microbial life

• Collecting and sealing rock samples

• Testing technology for future exploration

Perseverance has stored carefully selected samples for possible collection by a future mission.

Ingenuity

The small Ingenuity helicopter travelled to Mars attached beneath Perseverance.

It completed 72 flights, becoming the first aircraft to perform powered, controlled flight on another planet.

Its mission ended in 2024 after damage to its rotor blades, but its success demonstrated that aerial exploration is possible in the extremely thin Martian atmosphere.

Rosalind Franklin Rover

ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover is currently targeted for launch in 2028.

It is designed to drill as deep as two metres below the Martian surface, where material may have received greater protection from radiation.

Its main scientific objective is to investigate whether life ever existed on Mars.

Could Humans Live on Mars?

Mars is often considered the most practical planet for future human exploration, but living there would be extraordinarily difficult.

Humans would face:

• An unbreathable atmosphere

• Very low air pressure

• Intense radiation

• Extreme cold

• Toxic or reactive dust

• Limited accessible water

• Reduced gravity

• Long communication delays

• Isolation from Earth

• Difficult landings

• Limited opportunities for rescue

• Long-term medical uncertainty

Habitats would need to provide pressure, oxygen, heat, radiation shielding, water recycling and reliable food supplies.

Underground or heavily shielded structures could help protect crews from radiation and temperature changes.

Martian water ice might be used for:

• Drinking water

• Oxygen production

• Growing food

• Hygiene

• Producing hydrogen and oxygen rocket propellant

Mars is not a second Earth waiting to be occupied. Any settlement would depend on complex technology and carefully managed life-support systems.

How Long Would It Take to Travel to Mars?

A journey to Mars commonly takes around six to nine months, depending on the spacecraft, route and positions of the planets.

Earth and Mars continually move around the Sun, so spacecraft cannot simply travel towards the point where Mars appears at launch. They must follow a carefully planned orbit that intercepts the planet later.

Launch opportunities occur approximately every 26 months.

The distance between Earth and Mars varies enormously. Communication signals can take from a few minutes to more than 20 minutes to travel in one direction.

This delay means a crew on Mars could not rely on immediate instructions from Earth during an emergency.

Common Mars Observing Mistakes

Expecting a spacecraft-quality view

Mars will appear small through an amateur telescope. Spacecraft images are captured from close range and processed to reveal detail.

Observing at the wrong time

When Mars is far from opposition, its apparent disc may be extremely small.

Using too much magnification

A large blurry image contains less useful detail than a smaller sharp one.

Observing while Mars is low

Atmospheric turbulence and dispersion can destroy fine detail near the horizon.

Ignoring telescope temperature

An uncooled telescope may produce unstable images even when the atmosphere is steady.

Neglecting collimation

Planetary detail requires accurate optical alignment.

Looking only briefly

Mars often reveals detail during short intervals of better seeing. Spend time at the eyepiece.

Mistaking image orientation

Telescopes may invert or mirror the view. Check the orientation before identifying features.

Assuming every dark marking is permanent

Martian winds redistribute dust, changing the appearance of surface regions.

Expecting the two moons to be easy

Phobos and Deimos are faint and overwhelmed by the glare of Mars.

Common Misconceptions About Mars

Mars is hot because it is red

Mars is generally extremely cold. Its red colour comes from iron oxides, not high temperature.

Mars is the closest planet to Earth

Venus can approach Earth more closely, although the identity of Earth’s “closest planet” depends on how the comparison is defined.

Mars is covered in canals

There is no artificial network of canals. Historical reports arose from difficult observations and visual interpretation.

Mars has no atmosphere

Mars has an atmosphere, but it is extremely thin compared with Earth’s.

Mars has no water

Large quantities of water ice exist at the poles and beneath the surface. Ancient landscapes also show that liquid water once flowed widely.

Mars is always bright

Its brightness changes dramatically according to its distance from Earth.

Mars appears as large as the Moon

No. Viral messages periodically claim Mars will look as large as the full Moon. Mars always appears vastly smaller to the naked eye.

Humans could walk outside with only an oxygen mask

A pressure suit would be essential. The atmosphere is too thin, too cold and unbreathable.

We have discovered life on Mars

No confirmed evidence of past or present Martian life has yet been found.

Why Mars Is Worth Observing

Mars rewards patience.

It does not offer the immediate spectacle of Saturn’s rings or Jupiter’s broad cloud belts. For much of its observing cycle, it can appear disappointingly small.

But as opposition approaches, the Red Planet changes.

It grows brighter, its disc expands and subtle features begin to emerge. A white polar cap may appear. Dark markings rotate slowly across the orange surface. Clouds gather near the limb, while a dust storm can transform the appearance of an entire hemisphere.

You are not simply viewing clouds above an inaccessible gas giant.

You are seeing the surface of another rocky world—a landscape containing volcanoes, valleys, deserts, ancient lake beds and frozen water.

Some of the markings visible through your telescope correspond to the same regions photographed by spacecraft and crossed by robotic explorers.

A World That Was Once More Like Earth

Mars is compelling because it preserves the remains of a different planetary past.

Billions of years ago, rivers flowed into lakes. Rain or snow may have fallen. Volcanoes were active, the atmosphere was thicker and some environments may have been suitable for microorganisms.

Earth remained a living ocean world. Mars became cold, dry and exposed.

Understanding why the two planets followed such different paths can help scientists investigate:

• How atmospheres evolve

• Why planets lose water

• What makes a world habitable

• How magnetic fields affect atmospheric survival

• Where evidence of ancient life might be preserved

• How common Earth-like conditions may be elsewhere

Mars is therefore more than a destination for future explorers. It is a record of how dramatically a rocky planet can change.

Continue Exploring the Solar System

Return to our Planet Profiles: A Beginner’s Guide to Our Solar System hub to explore every world in our planetary neighbourhood.

Previous in the series: Planet Profiles: Earth — What Makes Our Home Planet Unique?

Next in the series: Planet Profiles: Jupiter — The Giant Planet and How to Observe It

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