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Red Planet Day

Explore the mysteries of our universe on Red Planet Day! Learn about Mars, discover new space facts, and join in the interstellar fun!

Saturday

November 2026

Last updated February 7, 2026 · by the Holiday Calendar Team

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YEARLY DATENovember 28

OBSERVED INInternationally

CATEGORYSchool

SUBCATEGORYSTEM

INTRO

Introduction

PHOTO

Get ready to explore the Red Planet on Red Planet Day, November 28th! This day celebrates the discovery of Mars as a planet and its exploration by humans. It's an exciting time for space enthusiasts, as we are now able to travel further into space than ever before and learn more about our mysterious neighbor in the solar system. With so much unknown out there, Red Planet Day provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come since this tiny red dot was first discovered.

TIMELINE

Red Planet Day Timeline

Discovery of Martian Canals

Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli reports observation of canali on Mars, wrongly translated as 'canals' leading to belief in Martian civilization.

Mars Flyby by Mariner 4

Mariner 4, NASA's spacecraft, provides the first close-up photos of Mars, marking humanity's first successful flyby of the Red Planet.

First Mars Landing by Soviet Mars 3

Soviet spacecraft Mars 3 achieves the first successful landing on Mars, though the communication was lost shortly after touchdown.

First Successful Mars Landing by NASA

NASA's Viking 1 makes the first successful long-term landing on Mars, returning detailed photographs and important scientific data.

Opportunity Rover's Mission on Mars

NASA's Opportunity rover begins its mission on Mars, eventually making many discoveries about the planet's past and possible signs of water.

Curiosity Rover Lands on Mars

NASA's biggest and most advanced rover, Curiosity, lands on Mars, set to explore Gale Crater and Mount Sharp over years.

GET INVOLVED

How to Celebrate Red Planet Day

Watch a Martian movie

Grab some popcorn and watch your favorite sci-fi film set on the Red Planet. From blockbusters like The Martian to classic flicks like Total Recall, there are countless movies to choose from.

MAKE

Make red planet crafts

Break out the art supplies and create fun Martian-themed crafts. Try making paper mache planets, painting rocks to look like Martians, or designing a papier mache rocket ship.

READ

Read a Mars book

Explore the red planet with a good book! There are plenty of books about Mars, from science fiction stories to nonfiction accounts of the planet's history and geology.

Go stargazing

Visit a dark sky area where you can observe the night sky without light pollution. Look for Mars in the evening sky, it should be easy to see as it is one of the brightest planets in our solar system.

EAT

Eat red food

Host a themed dinner party and serve up dishes that have hints of red in them. Think tomato soup, beetroot salad, berry tarts and ruby smoothies.

WHY THIS DAY MATTERS

Why We Love Red Planet Day

Red Planet Day supports science education

Educators around the world use Red Planet Day as an opportunity to teach students new concepts in space science. This helps create a sense of wonder and curiosity in young minds, inspiring them to pursue careers in scientific fields or simply appreciate what science has done for us!

Red Planet Day celebrates space exploration

Red Planet Day is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the incredible achievements of humanity's space exploration. From the first satellite, Sputnik 1, to today's robotic rovers on Mars, we've accomplished feats that have helped us unlock secrets about outer space and taught us so much about our universe!

Mars is a fascinating world

Thanks to years of research and observation by scientists from all over the world, astronomers have been able to uncover some amazing facts about Mars. It has an atmosphere similar to ours, temperature extremes comparable to Earth's, and may even have liquid water! So Red Planet Day is a great excuse to learn more about this mysterious and captivating planet.

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