78 Mars Trivia Questions with Answers
78 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
Mars trivia explores the Red Planet’s geology, atmosphere, exploration history, and place in astronomy. Questions may cover everything from the oldest named Martian geologic period to the seasonal dark streaks seen on some slopes, as well as landmarks such as the feature first observed through a telescope on another planet.
This hub also follows the spacecraft that have reached Mars, including the NASA lander that returned the first clear surface photograph in 1976 and the Soviet probe that became the first human-made object to reach the planet’s surface. It suits space enthusiasts, classroom review, science clubs, and pub quizzes that mix planetary science with exploration history.
Which ESA test lander crashed on Mars during the ExoMars 2016 mission?
Answer
Schiaparelli EDM
What name is given to the hypothesized ancient ocean in Mars's northern hemisphere?
Answer
Oceanus Borealis
What is the Martian equivalent of Earth's geoid called?
Answer
Areoid
What is the oldest named geologic period in Martian history?
Answer
Noachian
What are the seasonal dark streaks observed on some Martian slopes called?
Answer
Recurring slope lineae
What Martian dark feature was the first surface feature of another planet seen through a telescope?
Answer
Syrtis Major Planum
What is the popular name of India's first Mars orbiter?
Answer
Mangalyaan
What is the name of NASA's small helicopter that flew on Mars?
Answer
Ingenuity
Mars is classified as what type of rocky planet?
Answer
Terrestrial planet
Which Martian crater contains the layered mound Aeolis Mons?
Answer
Gale crater
Which NASA spacecraft mapped Mars from 1997 until contact was lost in 2006?
Answer
Mars Global Surveyor
Which large plain is the landing region of China's Zhurong rover?
Answer
Utopia Planitia
Which Chinese mission delivered the Zhurong rover to Mars?
Answer
Tianwen-1
Which NASA mission used the first sky crane landing system on Mars?
Answer
Mars Science Laboratory
Which Mars orbiter carries the HiRISE camera?
Answer
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
What is the name of the NASA orbiter launched in 2005 with the HiRISE camera?
Answer
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Which NASA rover found hematite spherules nicknamed blueberries on Mars?
Answer
Opportunity
Which NASA orbiter was lost in 1999 because of a metric-unit conversion error?
Answer
Mars Climate Orbiter
Which mountain rises near the center of Gale crater on Mars?
Answer
Aeolis Mons
Which astronomer discovered both Martian moons in 1877?
Answer
Asaph Hall
Which crater is the landing site of NASA's Opportunity rover?
Answer
Eagle crater
Which dark albedo feature on Mars was once thought to be a sea?
Answer
Syrtis Major Planum
What is the name for Mars's boundary between northern lowlands and southern highlands?
Answer
Martian dichotomy
What is the broad smooth plain covering much of Mars's northern lowlands?
Answer
Vastitas Borealis
Which NASA rover landed in Gusev crater in 2004?
Answer
Spirit
What was the landing site of NASA's Viking 1 lander?
Answer
Chryse Planitia
Which spacecraft made the first successful flyby of Mars in 1965?
Answer
Mariner 4
Which European Space Agency orbiter reached Mars in December 2003?
Answer
Mars Express
What is the smaller of Mars's two natural satellites?
Answer
Deimos
Mars is the fourth planet from which star?
Answer
Sun
What compound is mainly responsible for Mars's reddish surface color?
Answer
iron oxide
What is Mars' axial tilt in degrees?
Answer
25.19
What is the name of the Martian volcano with a height of about 21.9 km?
Answer
Olympus Mons
Mars trivia — quick answers
What are good Mars trivia questions?
Good Mars trivia questions cover the planet’s geology, atmosphere, surface features, seasons, and exploration missions. Examples include identifying the 1976 lander that photographed the surface, naming Mars’s hypothesized northern ocean, and recognizing the oldest named geologic period in Martian history.
How hard is Mars trivia?
Mars trivia ranges from accessible questions about the Red Planet and famous spacecraft to specialist questions about geologic periods, planetary topography, and unusual surface features. A mixed quiz can suit casual players, while mission dates and scientific terminology provide a challenge for experienced space fans.
Which NASA lander sent the first clear photograph from the Martian surface?
NASA’s Viking 1 lander sent the first clear photograph from the Martian surface in 1976. The image showed the rocky terrain around the lander in Chryse Planitia and became one of the earliest detailed views of Mars taken from ground level.
What is the hypothesized ancient ocean in Mars’s northern hemisphere called?
The hypothesized ancient ocean in Mars’s northern hemisphere is commonly called Oceanus Borealis, or the Borealis ocean. Scientists have proposed that a large body of water may once have occupied the planet’s low northern plains, although its exact extent and history remain debated.
What are seasonal dark streaks on Martian slopes called?
Seasonal dark streaks on some Martian slopes are called recurring slope lineae, or RSL. They appear during warmer seasons and fade later. Their origin has been debated, with dry granular flows now considered an important explanation, although the features remain scientifically significant.