Solar System

The top news about what's going on in the cosmic neighborhood—from planet nine to the sun, and everything in between.

Latest in Solar System

Scientists working on space probe in lab

A dead Soviet space probe from 1972 is falling back to Earth A dead Soviet space probe from 1972 is falling back to Earth

Black and white overhead shot of Mars rover and tracks on planet

NASA satellite spies Curiosity chugging along on Mars NASA satellite spies Curiosity chugging along on Mars

Close image of sun's surface depicting sunspot

World’s largest solar telescope shows off its full force with new image World’s largest solar telescope shows off its full force with new image

a spiral galaxy with red, white, and yellow stars, swirling around a bright, yellow, star in the center

Is the universe really infinite? Astrophysicists explain. Is the universe really infinite? Astrophysicists explain.

By Lauren Leffer

close up of asteroid Donaldjohanson

NASA snaps detailed photos of ‘strikingly complicated’ asteroid NASA snaps detailed photos of ‘strikingly complicated’ asteroid

a green comet in the night sky

How the sun’s motion affects meteor showers How the sun’s motion affects meteor showers

Two planets and crescent moon form smiley face in night sky

Rare ‘smiley face’ will light up the night sky on April 25 Rare ‘smiley face’ will light up the night sky on April 25

A photomosaic taken by the Curiosity Rover on April 30, 2023 at the Ubajara drill site in Gale Crater, Mars. Rock powder samples drilled here contained substantial amounts of siderite (an iron carbonate mineral). The siderite played a role in ancient carbon cycling processes that impacted conditions at the planet’s surface. Rover tracks in the foreground are 40 cm wide. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

Curiosity rover finds key ingredient for past life on Mars Curiosity rover finds key ingredient for past life on Mars

An illustration of what the aurora might have looked like during a polar reversal about 41,000 years ago. The green glow of an aurora is much further south than we see it today.

Sunscreen may have kept ancient humans alive during a polar reversal Sunscreen may have kept ancient humans alive during a polar reversal

By Laura Baisas

Jared Isaacman speaking at congressional hearing

NASA nominee: ‘We will prioritize sending astronauts to Mars’ NASA nominee: ‘We will prioritize sending astronauts to Mars’

Lunar rover prototype in parking lot

All-terrain space truck hopes to drive astronauts on the moon All-terrain space truck hopes to drive astronauts on the moon

This Hubble image shows Uranus and dynamic aurora activity on 10 October 2022. The centered planet is dominated by a blue hue and a large white region in the lower left. A faint ring is also visible around the planet. Fuzzy blue/purple regions hovering over the planet on the left and ride indicate the presence of aurorae

Uranus has a longer day than astronomers thought Uranus has a longer day than astronomers thought

By Laura Baisas

An illustration of a potential NASA lunar base for the Artemis missions.

Scientists want to turn moon dust into solar panels Scientists want to turn moon dust into solar panels

An artistic rendering of the newly discovered binary star system in the moment where the first white dwarf has just exploded, hurtling material towards its nearby companion which is on the cusp of explosion too. This event will occur in about 23 billion years, yet in only 4 seconds do both stars explode

Astronomers find spiraling stars heading towards a rare cosmic explosion Astronomers find spiraling stars heading towards a rare cosmic explosion

By Laura Baisas

A collage of three images showing the black expanse of space. Two-thirds of the collage is taken up by the black background sprinkled with small, blurry galaxies in orange, blue, and white. There are two images in a column at the right side of the collage. On the right side of the main image, not far from the top, a very faint dot is outlined with a white square. At the right, there are two zoomed in views of this area. The top box is labeled NIRCam and shows a fuzzy dot at the center of the inset. The bottom box is labeled MIRI and shows a fuzzy pinkish dot.

JWST snaps first image of asteroid that threatened Earth JWST snaps first image of asteroid that threatened Earth

Martian landscape taken by NASA rover

Toxic dust on Mars could make astronauts sick Toxic dust on Mars could make astronauts sick

Mars Curiosity rover selfie picture against Martian background

Curiosity finds largest-ever organic molecules on Mars Curiosity finds largest-ever organic molecules on Mars

The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope imaged these giant radio jets stretching 6 million light-years across with an enormous supermassive black hole at the heart of spiral galaxy J23453268-0449256. Could this cosmic anomaly hint at the future of our own Milky Way galaxy? Image via Bagchi and Ray et al/ Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope/ Royal Astronomical Society/

A terrifying fate may lurk inside the Milky Way A terrifying fate may lurk inside the Milky Way

Sunset at Buckingham Palace

The sun has literally set on the British Empire The sun has literally set on the British Empire

An Apollo 12 high-oblique view of the lunar nearside looking northeast toward the crater Copernicus (in center near horizon), as photographed from lunar orbit.

A startup wants to mine the moon for helium A startup wants to mine the moon for helium