For many generations, Earth-dwellers have been fascinated with the next neighboring planet. NASA has sought to learn more about the planet for decades. Due to the rusty iron found on its surface, this so-called “red planet” appears slightly red in the sky.

Red Planet Day is observed on November 28 to commemorate the launch of Spacecraft Mariner 4, which was the first ever craft to reach Mars. The craft took eight months to reach Mars. It finally flew by on July 14, 1965.

Mariner 4 was created to gather information in flyby mode, which allowed for close-up scientific observations of Mars and then transmitting that information back to Earth.

In the many years that the space program was able to collect information, many things have been discovered about Mars. It is now known that Mars has terrains that are varied like Earth. This includes canyons, volcanoes and deserts.

Enjoy celebrating Mars Day on Red Planet Day with these fun ideas

Get together some friends who are equally excited about the solar system to throw a Red Planet Day Party. You could make this a party for adults who love space or school kids interested in learning about the planets. Invite your guests to dress up in NASA-themed costumes and provide snacks such as cookies decorated with the different moons or planets.

You can serve space-themed drinks at a grown-up event, such as The Cosmonaut and Space Cowboy, Mars Explosion or Lost in Space Martini.