Mars Planet

Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Zooming in on Mars: New high-resolution pictures, photos, pics & images reveal Red Planet's stunning terrain

It has long been a planet of wonder, leaving early astronomers to speculate about advanced alien civilisations facts.

Now modern-day star-gazers can enjoy stunning new close-up images of Mars' diverse surface after they were released information by NASA today.

The photographs were taken with a telephoto lens which can focus on objects the size of a beach ball from more than 180 miles away.

They zoom in on a range of terrains – from volcanic cones and cratered planes to wind-swept dunes to crusts of ice.

It forms part of the project using the HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera which has been circulating the Red Planet for more than four years.

There are 236 dramatic new images, taken between July 8 and July 31, which show Mars almost from pole to pole.

They also capture evidence of ongoing geological processes on the planet today, such as fresh craters that may have formed between January and June.

Mars has long proved a source of wonder for stargazers until Mariner 4 made the first flyby by a spacecraft in 1965.

Until that point, it was speculated that water was present in liquid form on the planet which can be seen from Earth with the naked eye.

Since then, unmanned missions have taken geological samples which suggest the surface was once covered with water.

In 2005, radar data revealed the presence of large quantities of water ice at the poles, and at mid-latitudes and in 2008 water in ice form was sample in shallow soil.

Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, and has an average distance from Earth of 78m km but can come as close as 55.7m km.

It also boasts the highest mountain in the solar system, as well as the largest canyon.