Why is the idea of colonizing Mars so intriguing to us?
* Its similar day length. A Martian day (sol) is 24 hours and 39 minutes;
* Its axial tilt is very similar to Earth's, i.e. it has the same seasonal changes we are accustomed to on Earth;
* Mars has considerable amounts of water in the form of ice. Most of it is located in the polar regions, but studies of Martian meteorites have shown that a lot of water may be present below the surface of the planet.