Shop Windows to the Universe

Check out the fun Earth science related bumper stickers in our online store! Express yourself!

Myths about Mars

Mars was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and was the Roman god of war. Mars was the lover of Venus and the father of the famous Roman heroes Romulus and Remus, who were said to have founded the city of Rome. For that reason, Mars was believed to come to the aid of Romans in times of crisis. He was widely worshiped by Roman legions. The month of March is named after him.
Ares was the Greek god of war. He was identified with the Roman god, <a href="/mythology/mars.html&edu=elem">Mars</a>. This marble sculpture, called the "Ludovisi Ares", is a Roman copy after a Greek original from ca. 320 BC.<p><small><em>Ludovisi Collection. Image courtesy of Marie-Lan Nguyen, Wikipedia Commons, public domain. </em></small></p>

Windows to the Universe Community

News

Opportunities

Upcoming W2U Events
Join Today - Benefits,
No Ads!
Special Offers for Teachers
Member Benefits
Teacher Newsletter
Partnership Opportunities

Explore Myths about Mars

Roman: Mars

Ares was the Greek god of war, always acting and thinking like a warrior. Mars was identified ...Read more

Hindu: Mangala

In Hinduism, the major Indian religion, the planet Mars, called Mangala, is identified with ...Read more

Maya: Mars

Mayans were sophisticated observers of the sky. Mayans used their astronomical knowledge to ...Read more

Explore Myths about other nearby planets

Roman: Venus

Venus was the goddess of love and beauty. To the perfection of her figure and the purity of ...Read more

Aztec: Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli

Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli was an Aztec god. The planets Venus and the feathered snake, Quetzalcoatl ...Read more

Roman: Jupiter

In Roman mythology Jupiter was the king of heaven and Earth and of all the Olympian gods. He ...Read more

Roman: Ganymede

Ganymede was a son of Tros, who was the ruler of the city of Troy. One day, Jupiter saw Ganymede ...Read more

Roman: Io

Io was a beautiful priestess of the Greek goddess, Hera. Hera was the jealous wife of Zeus, ...Read more

Roman: Europa

Europa was a beautiful princess. According to Greek mythology, Europa was seduced by Zeus, ...Read more

Historical Events

4/17 Death of Benjamin Franklin, American statesman and scientist, on this date in 1790 Details
4/18 Great San Francisco Earthquake, estimated magnitude of 7.8, on San Andreas Fault in 1906
4/19 F5 tornado hits Brownwood, Texas on this date in 1976

Full Earth and Space Science    History Calendar (Members only)

Teacher Opportunities

4/17 Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
Details

4/19 National Park Week
Details

4/21 Green Week
Details

Full Teacher Events Calendar (Educator Members only)

Did you know?

Did you know that many different cultures had myths about Earth goddesses and gods?

Did you know that different cultures imagined different constellations, based on their own cultural context?

 

Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day

Do you know what this word or phrase means?

Tallus slope
xTallus slope : An accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags or mountain cliffs

Click on the word to find out!

Research Highlights

Composition of Rock Sediment Affected the Strength of Earthquakes in Sumatra

Earthquakes occur regularly in Sumatra, Indonesia because it is located near the boundary of two of Earth's tectonic plates. Earthquakes can create tsunamis when the seafloor moves up or down rapidly....Read more


Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part by the National Science Foundation and NASA, our Founding Partners (the American Geophysical Union and American Geosciences Institute) as well as through Institutional, Contributing, and Affiliate Partners, individual memberships and generous donors. Thank you for your support! NASA AGU AGI NSF