Northern plain
Acidalia Planitia
A vast plain in the northern hemisphere that, according to one hypothesis, was the floor of an ocean. Dunes to the horizon: as you breathe in, the dust lifts; as you breathe out, it settles.
What Mars is like, up close
38%of Earth's gravity
24 h 39 mina day (a “sol”)
−60 °Caverage temperature (−76 °F)
< 1%of Earth's air pressure
2 moonsPhobos and Deimos
The surface of Mars is a cold desert covered in dust with iron oxide in it: that's where the red comes from. The air is so thin that water can't stay liquid on the surface, but there's ice at the poles and under the ground, and the rocks show there were once rivers and lakes.
By day, the floating dust tints the sky butterscotch. At night you can see Phobos and Deimos, two small moons, and the Earth as one more star.
Three places on Mars, recreated
Each one with its own ground, sky and sound. Tap «Watch it live» and the demo above takes you there.
Planum Boreum
North Pole
A cap of water ice about 1,000 km (600 miles) across, built in layers and cut by spiral valleys. In the app the frost breathes: an icy haze rises.
45 km crater
Jezero
A crater that once held a lake, with a river delta still in sight. The Perseverance rover landed there in February 2021. In Sail mode you cross it slowly, like a rover.
The blue sunset on Mars
On Earth, sunsets are red; on Mars, the setting Sun has a blue halo. The fine dust in the Martian air lets blue light through more easily in the direction of the Sun, and when the Sun is low that blue stays concentrated around it, while the rest of the sky stays reddish.
In Sea of Tranquility, the Mars sunset is called just that, «Blue sunset», and as it gets dark the Earth appears in the sky.
Breathing on Mars
Sea of Tranquility is a guided breathing app with no voice: the landscape moves at a pace and you follow it. On Earth it's the wave; on Mars, the dust. You choose how long and at what pace (Calm, Coherent, Box or 4-7-8), or switch to Sail to watch the landscape with no guide.
Apple TV
Mars on the big screen
Free to download with Open sea and Beach; Mars and Saturn come with Pro, a one-time purchase, and you can try each destination for a minute first.
You download it from the TV: on your Apple TV, open the App Store and search for «Mar de Tranquilidad», the app's original name.
View on the App StoreIn your browser
Try it now
The web version works in any browser, phones included. You can try Mars for a minute.
Open it on the webFAQ
What does the surface of Mars look like?
A cold, dusty desert, red from iron oxide, with dunes, loose rocks and craters. There's ice at the poles and under the ground, and the rocks show there were once rivers and lakes.
What color is the sky on Mars?
By day, butterscotch: the fine dust floating in the air tints the light. At sunset it's the reverse of Earth: a blue halo forms around the Sun.
Why are sunsets on Mars blue?
Martian dust lets blue light through more easily in the direction of the Sun. When the Sun is low, its light crosses more dusty air and the blue stays concentrated around it, while the rest of the sky stays reddish.
Are these real photos of Mars?
No. They're screenshots of Sea of Tranquility: a landscape generated live, inspired by what each place is like. The real photos come from the missions, such as Perseverance at Jezero.
Can I watch it on my TV?
Yes, in the Apple TV app. It's free to download from the App Store on your Apple TV; Mars comes with Pro, a one-time purchase, and you can try it for a minute first.