Mars, the Red Planet, fourth planet from the sun. Named for the Roman god of war, Mars is orbited by two tiny moons, Phobos and Deimos. Phobos was the son of Mars and Venus and it's name means "fear" (as in phobia.) Deimos was another son of Mars and Venus and that name means "panic." Despite the unhappy connotations of Mars and it's satellites, the planet is a favorite of sci-fi authors and those dreaming of life elsewhere in our solar system. The discovery of water on Mars has also raised speculation that microbial life might be found below the planet's surface in subterranean flows.
In Gustav Holst's suite "The Planets," MARS - Bringer of War is the first movement and is a thunderous, powerful piece that captures the fierceness of this wind-whipped, battle-scarred planet.
Mars is portrayed by actor and musician Tim Collier, with background and special effects layers taken from pubic domain images from NASA and APOD. |
