Solar System

Latest about Solar System

a hand holds a red copmuter chip as a finger with peeled cuticles points to its center.

To land safely on Mars and the moon, we may need to measure dust

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

A new radar instrument designed to measure nearby dust and debris could make spacecraft landings on the moon and Mars safer.

The moon
a fuzzy bright orb leaves a trail behind it in the night sky above the silhouette of a mountain

Watch Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS light up the night sky in free livestream today (video)

By Brett Tingley last updated

Watch comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS light up the sky thanks to a free livestream on Monday, Oct. 21.

The moon
graphic illustrating solar maximum, a close up graphic of the sun is in the background and "what is solar maximum" is written in large letters in the foreground.

What is solar maximum and when will it occur?

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference Want to know more about solar maximum and how it affects us? Read our complete guide on what solar maximum is and when it might occur.

Reference
A dark blue and white sphere surrounded by a dark green oval and a wider light green shell

'Killer electrons' play pinball with space weather around Earth

By Robert Lea published

"Killer electrons" stashed in radiation belts around Earth could be dislodged by lightning to create a game of "cosmic pinball" that influences space weather around our planet.

Earth
A bright silver sphere shrouded by black smoke

Hunter's Moon supermoon 2024 puts on a frightfully good show for skywatchers around the world (photos)

By Robert Lea published

The Hunter's Moon rose on Thursday (Oct. 17), becoming the biggest and brightest full moon of the year and wowing skywatchers around the globe with a spooky pre-Halloween show.

The moon
a fuzzy white streak in the night sky above a red barn

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is still visible in the night sky, but not for long

By Jamie Carter published

Have you seen comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS yet? If you haven't yet seen the bright, icy space rock that's traveled from the edge of the solar system, it's not too late. But you need to see it soon.

Comets
two large, golden landers on the surface of the moon, with four astronauts in white spacesuits working near them

Europe launches ambitious 'Moonlight' program to support lunar exploration

By Andrew Jones published

Europe has officially launched the Moonlight program, which aims to provide services for the more than 400 moon missions planned by space agencies and private companies over the next two decades.

The moon
Large fully illuminated moon with large craters against a black background.

Full moon names 2024 (and how they came to be)

By Joe Rao last updated

Reference The full moon names for each month, why they're named so and what we can expect from these lunar events.

Reference
Two grey boxes with irregular grey surfaces on either side of a burnt orange sphere

Alien life could lurk on Mars beneath protective ice, study suggests

By Robert Lea published

'Photosynthetic habitable zones' could exist beneath radiation-filtering ice on Mars, offering scientists another region in which to hunt for alien life.

Mars
illustration of two astronauts working on the surface of the moon, with earth in the background

US and China will need to discuss moon mission plans, NASA chief predicts

By Andrew Jones published

NASA and China will need to discuss exchanges of data and mission plans as the two sides move to build sustainable presences on the moon, according to NASA chief Bill Nelson.

The moon
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives