* The planet Mars was observed from antiquity as a reddish star that moved through the heavens, with ancient scholars mapping its path through the sky. With the invention of the telescope, Mars was found to be a world of its own. Early astronomical observations of the Red Planet suggested it was largely desert, but appeared to have widespread vegetation, or even evidence of huge artificial structures. Beginning in the mid-1960s, space probes revealed that our knowledge of Mars was very incomplete and largely incorrect, leading to completely revised views of the Red Planet. Since that time, Mars has been mapped in great detail by planetary orbiters, with landers and rovers inspecting the surface. This document provides a history of the exploration of Mars. A list of illustration credits is provided at the end.
