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The Red Planet
Mars obtained its nickname as "the red planet" because of its red and orange appearance. The planet's handle originated in classical times. The ancient Greeks and Romans associated its red color with their respective gods of war, Aries and Mars. The invention of telescopes and eventual NASA exploration later provided further insight into the cause of Mars's red appearance.
Iron Oxide
Like any planet, Mars is composed of a variety of minerals. However, iron oxide is the sole compound responsible for the planet's color. Iron oxide is common on Earth as well. In fact, you can see it every day in the form of rust. The scientific label is Fe2O3 hematite. On the Periodic Table of Elements, "Fe" represents iron and "O" symbolizes oxygen.
Theories
Although it is clear that the surface of Mars is composed of iron oxide, the actual cause of this is unknown. According to Universe Today, there are two theories. The first theory states that iron was deposited by large-scale volcanic activity 50 to 500 million years ago. It contends that liquid water once existed and eventually evaporated, exposing the iron to oxygen and converting it into iron oxide. In other words, the entire planet may have rusted like an old car in a junkyard. The second theory posits that the iron oxide came from heavy meteor activity that spread iron oxide all over the planet.
True Color
When it comes to understanding the red surface of Mars, the term "true color" is something that experts such as Jim Bell prefer to avoid. Bell is in charge of the Pancam color imaging system on the Mars Exploration Rovers. He explains that, despite the accuracy of the Mars rover's cameras, the images do not necessarily reflect what a human eye would see. However, it is safe to say that the current color data is quite accurate, although not exact.