They are both small rocky bodies, with a radius of a few kilometres, maybe asteroids that travelled in the vicinity of the planet and were captured. Their surface is covered with craters. On Mars, as on the Earth, the seasons alternate due to the inclination of the rotation axis of the planet. Their duration though is twice that of the Earth. The coat of ice that covers the soil is solified carbon dioxide.
Water ice is very scarce and is concentrated in the polar caps.
The Viking landing module dug grooves in the ground, that are visible on the right, to collect samples of martian soil to be analyzed. The experiments carried out to search for forms of life, at least of the bacterial type, were disappointing, although the results were not completely clear. We expect more precise and maybe enthusiastic answers from the future missions on Mars. Sunset on Mars. The day here lasts 24 hours and 37 minutes, and is therefore very similar to the terrestrial day.