Planetary Science
Newfound ‘Quasi-Moon’ Has Been Earth’s Fellow Traveler for Thousands of Years
Astronomers recently identified asteroid 2023 FW13 as a quasi-moon, a space rock orbiting the sun nearly in tandem with Earth
Planetary Science80 articles archived since 1845
Planetary Science
Dried-Up Lagoon Is ‘Time Analog’ for Martian Life
If Martian microbes were like those in this Earth lagoon, they could have survived the Red Planet’s primordial desiccation
Planetary Science
A Meteorite Fell in Their Bedroom. Here’s What Happened Next
Earlier this month a meteorite crashed through the roof of a New Jersey home. The residents are still pondering the fate of their gift from the skies
Planetary Science
JWST Spots Biggest Water Plume Yet Spewing from a Moon of Saturn
The huge watery cloud spurting from Enceladus could carry the ingredients for life farther into space than previously known
Weather
Bizarre, Unexplained Rumblings in Earth’s Atmosphere Puzzle Scientists
Solar-powered balloons detected strange, ultra-low-frequency rumblings in Earth’s stratosphere that, so far, scientists can’t identify
Planetary Science
NASA’s Interplanetary Plans May Be Lurching toward Disaster
Delays and budgetary overruns are causing many to worry that NASA’s ambitious planetary science program is at a breaking point
Planetary Science
The Six Moons Most Likely to Host Life in Our Solar System
Vast quantities of liquid water may exist on moons of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, making life possible there, too
Planetary Science
Where Did Mars’s Moons Come From?
New results from a U.A.E. orbiter suggest Mars’s moons may be pieces of the planet. A Japanese mission will tell us for sure
Planetary Science
Jupiter’s Hot Youth May Have Melted Its Icy Moons
A gas giant planet’s youthful glow could explain major differences between its four largest satellites
Planetary Science
Inside the New Missions to Jupiter’s Moons
Spacecraft will explore hidden oceans and the possibility of life on the moons of Jupiter
Planetary Science
Europe Successfully Launches JUICE Mission to Study Jupiter’s Icy Moons
The ambitious Jupiter moon mission JUICE has begun its long journey to the Jovian system
Planetary Science
JWST Captures Stunning Image of Rings around Uranus
The imagery offers a rare view of the ice giant’s ring system, bright moons and dynamic atmosphere
Planetary Science
NASA’s Perseverance Rover May Already Have Evidence of Ancient Martian Life
A half-kilogram’s worth of samples gathered by NASA’s Perseverance rover for eventual return to Earth holds weighty implications for life on Mars
Planetary Science
NASA’s Uranus Mission Is Running Out of Time
Multiple obstacles might make it hard for NASA to turn its dream of ice giant exploration into a reality any time soon
Planetary Science
Asteroid Didymos May Spin So Fast It Flings Rocks into Space
The asteroid Didymos witnessed its companion get slammed by NASA’s DART spacecraft, and Didymos itself may have interesting activity
Planetary Science
JWST Sees No Atmosphere on ‘Earthlike’ TRAPPIST-1 Exoplanet
TRAPPIST-1b is probably an airless rock, but the same may not be true for its six Earth-sized siblings
Planetary Science
Volcanic Activity on Mars Upends Red Planet Assumptions
A mass of moving material on Mars called a mantle plume may be causing marsquakes and volcanism
Planetary Science
Volcanoes on Venus? ‘Striking’ Finding Hints at Modern-Day Activity
The discovery highlights a need for future missions after NASA puts one on hold
Planetary Science
Newfound Asteroid May Strike Earth in 2046, NASA Says
Preliminary estimates suggest that a 50-meter space rock called 2023 DW has a roughly one-in-600 chance of colliding with our planet in 23 years
Planetary Science
Mystery of Ancient Space Superstorms Deepens
A fresh analysis of tree-ring data suggests barrages of cosmic radiation that washed over Earth centuries ago may have come from sources besides our sun
