May 8: Mars

   Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and is known as the Red Planet
   due to its reddish appearance as seen from Earth.  The planet is named
   after Mars, the Roman god of war.  A terrestrial planet, Mars has a
   thin atmosphere and surface features reminiscent both of the impact
   craters of the Moon and the volcanoes, valleys, deserts and polar ice
   caps of Earth.  It has the highest mountain in the solar system,
   Olympus Mons, and the largest canyon, Valles Marineris.  Mars'
   rotational period and seasonal cycles are also similar to those of the
   Earth.  Of all the planets in our solar system other than Earth, Mars
   is the most likely to harbor liquid water, and perhaps life.  Mars is
   currently host to three functional orbiting spacecraft: Mars Odyssey,
   Mars Express, and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.  This is more than any
   planet except Earth.  The surface is also home to the two Mars
   Exploration Rovers (Spirit and Opportunity).  Geological evidence
   gathered by these and preceding missions suggests that Mars previously
   had large-scale water coverage, while observations also indicate that
   small geyser-like water flows have occurred in recent years.  Mars has
   two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly shaped.

Read the rest of this article:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars


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Today's selected anniversaries:

1429:
   Siege of Orléans: French troops led by Joan of Arc lifted the English
   siege and turned the tide of the Hundred Years' War.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Orléans)

1541:
   The expedition led by Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto reached
   the Mississippi River.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernando_de_Soto_(explorer))

1794:
   French chemist and economist Antoine Lavoisier, a former royal tax
   collector with the Ferme Générale, was tried, convicted, and
   guillotined on the same day during the Reign of Terror.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_Lavoisier)

1902:
   The volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée destroyed the town of St. Pierre,
   Martinique, killing over 30,000 people.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pelée)

1945:
   Most armed forces under German control ceased active operations by
   23:01 hours CET at the end of World War II in Europe, in accordance
   with the capitulation documents signed by General Alfred Jodl
   on behalf of Reichspräsident Karl Dönitz the day before.
   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/End_of_World_War_II_in_Europe)


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Wikiquote of the day:

   And, oh! what beautiful years were these When our hearts clung each to
   each;When life was filled and our senses thrilled In the first faint
   dawn of speech.  Thus life by life and love by love We passed through
   the cycles strange,And breath by breath and death by death We followed
   the chain of change.  -- Langdon Smith
   (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Langdon_Smith)