Discovering Mars, Nov 4, 2026

Along with the four other naked-eye-visible planets – Mercury, Venus, Jupiter
and Saturn – Mars has been the source of fear and fascination for thousands
of years. Due to its reddish appearance – the color of war and aggression – Mars was portrayed as the “warrior planet” by Roman and Greek astrologers. Recent exploration of the red planet by telescopes, orbiters, landers, and rovers has revealed a fascinating history of a rich atmosphere, warm lakes,
rivers and oceans, and possibly primitive life. Barriers to human colonization of Mars are many and formidable, but only time and technology will tell if,
and when, we will be able to make Mars a second home for humanity.
Milos Radakovich came to the U.S. from Yugoslavia at the age of 10. A graduate of San Francisco State, he moved to the local area in 1971 to
further his studies in marine science at Moss Landing Marine Labs and the
Biological Sonar Lab at SRI. He’s been a science educator for more than 50
years, and also serves as an on-board naturalist for Celebrity Cruises.