Welcome back Stargazers!
The planet we’ll be investigating today is Mars, known as “the Red Planet.” It’s inspired myths and religious symbolism, as well as scientific curiosity. How many of us remember the now-iconic ‘My Favorite Martian’ from the early sixties? Or reading ‘The War of the Worlds’ by H.G. Wells or ‘The Martian Chronicles’ by Ray Bradbury? Everyone wanted to go to Mars – or at least we all knew the Martians were just days away from landing on Earth!
Now for the facts. Mars is about ½ the size of Earth and shares many Earth-like features such as clouds, sand dunes, volcanos and even polar ice caps that appear to grow and shrink with the “seasons”. Due to its tilt of the axis, Mars’ seasons are recognized as similar to those of Earth and its day length is almost identical as well. There’s even evidence of possible past liquid water erosion, which makes it a prime target for astrobiological study.
Mars Folklore:
Many cultures have linked this planet to war, destruction and power. Babylonian lore had Nergal, a fiery god that illustrates these traits, likely due to Mars’ reddish hue.
Greek mythology – Ares, the son of Zeus and Hera, becomes the god of war and is aggressive and feared, with attendants appropriately named Dermos (fear) and Phobos (Terror).
Roman mythology – Mars is the Father of Rome, the mythical father of twins Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome. The Romans viewed Mars as a “heavenly father” and themselves as “sons of Mars.” In early Rome, Mars was also an agricultural deity who protected crops and cattle. The month of March (named after him) marks both the start of the growing season and the beginning of the military campaign season.
Ancient Eqypt called Mars “Horus of the Horizon” or “Her Deshur” (the Red One).
Cultural Symbolism:
Mars’ retrograde motion, which appears as a periodic reversal in the sky, adds to its scary reputation. The planet’s red color (from iron oxide) reinforced its association with blood and war. The circle with an arrow symbol, derived from Mars’ shield-and-spear imagery, became a universal icon for male gender and the element Iron.
Starting in the Middle Ages and up to the 19th century, Mars was often imagined as inhabited by intelligent beings. Essays from that period reflected on possible canals and speculated about ancient Martian civilizations. This idea has shown up in multiple instances of literature, art and even advertising – ensuring Mars remains a blank canvas for human exploration.
Mars continues to be a focal point for both scientific exploration (NASA’s Perseverance Rover) and cultural storytelling. It’s a blend of astronomical mystery and mythic symbolism – inspiring stories of ancient war gods to science fiction masterpieces. Mars is more than a planet. It’s become a mythological archetype, a symbol of war, power, and the unknown – that red hue thus shaping human thought for thousands of years.
Recently ancient cultures and science have collided in a very positive way! The Navajo Ancient ones have a word for Mars – “M’aaz”; NASA has incorporated this term into its Mars mission, using “M’aaz” for a Martian rock feature and other Navajo words are also being used for the Martian landscapes. This demonstrates a living cultural connection to the planet, even if it’s not part of their traditional myths.
Mars’ influence is both magical and dangerous. Strange things happen when Mars is active. Keep a weather eye to the heavens and become aware of the location of Mars in our solar system and our own astrological charts.
Enjoy the stars and planets into early May! The beginning of Spring showcases the wonders of the Heavens annually.
Happy Stargazing!
Yours in the Stars,
Astrid