Solar System (Page 2)

an illustration of the planet saturn as seen from one of its many moons two other smaller moons are in the distance

Science

Which planet has the most moons? Saturn dethrones Jupiter. Which planet has the most moons? Saturn dethrones Jupiter.

Two astronauts holding plushies inside ISS

Science

NASA wants your help designing its Artemis II mascot NASA wants your help designing its Artemis II mascot

Science

How to see the upcoming ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse How to see the upcoming ‘blood moon’ total lunar eclipse

a lunar lander on the surface of the moon

Science

New evidence for water lurking under the moon’s poles New evidence for water lurking under the moon’s poles

This artist concept depicts NASA Voyager 1 spacecraft entering interstellar space. Interstellar space is dominated by the plasma, or ionized gas, that was ejected by the death of nearby giant stars millions of years ago.

Science

NASA squeezes more life from 47-year-old Voyager probes NASA squeezes more life from 47-year-old Voyager probes

Sunrise on moon taken by Blue Ghost lunar lander

Science

NASA uses GPS on the moon for the first time NASA uses GPS on the moon for the first time

Science

March skygazing: A ‘celestial smiley face,’ a blood moon, and more March skygazing: A ‘celestial smiley face,’ a blood moon, and more

illustration of rockets and satellites circling moon

Science

Six weeks, three moon landers: The era of private space exploration is here Six weeks, three moon landers: The era of private space exploration is here

By Mack DeGeurin

The full disc of Mars is seen with the polar ice caps slightly off centre to the top left and bottom right. Clouds wrap around the planet’s curved horizons. Dark surface markings are clearly seen against the characteristic red tones of the dusty martian surface.

Science

Why is Mars red? Our old understanding might be wrong. Why is Mars red? Our old understanding might be wrong.

Aerial view of Utopia Planitia region of Mars

Science

New evidence suggests Mars once had ‘vacation-style beaches’ New evidence suggests Mars once had ‘vacation-style beaches’

a large orange circle surrounded by a blue square

Science

Astrophysicists surprised by light show around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole Astrophysicists surprised by light show around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured these drifting noctilucent, or twilight, clouds in a 16-minute recording on Jan. 17. (This looping clip has been speeded up about 480 times.) The white plumes falling out of the clouds are carbon dioxide ice that would evaporate closer to the Martian surface.

Science

Curiosity rover spots rare shimmering clouds above Mars Curiosity rover spots rare shimmering clouds above Mars

An artist’s concept of the Gateway space station in a polar orbit around the moon

Science

Gateway: The 21st-century moonshot mission Gateway: The 21st-century moonshot mission

By Sarah Scoles/Undark

A long awaited astronomical event dubbed as the planet parade or planetary alignment. Four planets are visible to the naked eye in the evening sky. Saturn and Venus are moving along the solar system's disc, as seen from Sparta, North Carolina on January 25, 2025.

Science

February stargazing: ‘Planet parade’ continues and Venus shines February stargazing: ‘Planet parade’ continues and Venus shines

Artist illustration of asteroid in space

Science

Agencies plan for near-Earth asteroid’s close encounter in 2032 Agencies plan for near-Earth asteroid’s close encounter in 2032

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare–as seen in the bright flash on the right side–on September 10, 2017. The image shows a combination of wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, which has then been colorized.

Science

Could the Carrington Event happen again? Could the Carrington Event happen again?

Mars rover prototype in simulated Martian environment with alloy wheels

Science

NASA teases bendable titanium wheels on future Mars rovers NASA teases bendable titanium wheels on future Mars rovers

Planet Mercury in the background with its grey, cratered, pockmarked surface. In the foreground are some spacecraft parts

Science

Mercury stuns in incredibly detailed new images Mercury stuns in incredibly detailed new images

Concept art of Artemis astronauts in lunar crater with lunar rover

Science

NASA is calibrating new clocks so people can live on the moon NASA is calibrating new clocks so people can live on the moon

An artistic representation of an active centaur like Chiron. The different colors in the coma indicate varying compositions of gas, ice, and dust.

Science

An ‘oddball’ asteroid-comet hybrid dates back 4.6 billion years An ‘oddball’ asteroid-comet hybrid dates back 4.6 billion years

$The first image depicts star cluster NGC 602 in vibrant and festive colors. The cluster includes a giant dust cloud ring, shown in greens, yellows, blues, and oranges. The green hues and feathery edges of the ring cloud create the appearance of a wreath made of evergreen boughs. Hints of red representing X-rays provide shading, highlighting layers within the wreath-like ring cloud. The image is aglow with specks and dots of colorful, festive light, in blues, golds, whites, oranges, and reds. These lights represent stars within the cluster. Some of the lights gleam with diffraction spikes, while others emit a warm, diffuse glow. Upon closer inspection, many of the glowing specks have spiraling arms, indicating that they are, in fact, distant galaxies.$

Science

New concept art shows how SpaceX’s Starship will transport Artemis III astronauts to the moon New concept art shows how SpaceX’s Starship will transport Artemis III astronauts to the moon

a black meteorite on display at a musuem

Science

4-billion-year-old mineral offers clues about Mars’ steaming hot past 4-billion-year-old mineral offers clues about Mars’ steaming hot past

swirling blue and brown image on half moon and black background

Science

Jupiter stuns in new images Jupiter stuns in new images

By Popular Science Team

Science

Meteorite found in a drawer in 1929 contains ancient evidence of liquid water on Mars Meteorite found in a drawer in 1929 contains ancient evidence of liquid water on Mars

Phobos passing across Sun as seen by Perseverance rover on Mars

Science

Googly-eyed potato eclipse filmed by NASA’s Perseverance rover Googly-eyed potato eclipse filmed by NASA’s Perseverance rover

A Leonids meteor streaks across the sky over Ankara, Turkey on November 17, 2020.

Science

November’s sky lights up with three meteor showers and the last supermoon of 2024 November’s sky lights up with three meteor showers and the last supermoon of 2024

a close-up of the planet jupiter's great red spot. it is a swirling red storm on the planet's more white and orange surface

Science

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot jiggles like JELL-O Jupiter’s Great Red Spot jiggles like JELL-O

By Joel S. Levine / The Conversation

Science

NASA wants to send humans to Mars in the 2030s NASA wants to send humans to Mars in the 2030s

Three Celestron telescopes on a plain background.

Gear

We love this Celestron smart telescope—it’s almost $150 off during Amazon’s fall Prime Day We love this Celestron smart telescope—it’s almost $150 off during Amazon’s fall Prime Day

By Amanda Reed

Illustration of the global coronal magnetic field as the sun rotates. The background is the solar corona observed in extreme-ultraviolet waveband, with global coronal magnetic field maps measured at different time overlapped on top of it.

Science

The sun’s magnetic field is where the ‘stuff’ is. It can be dangerous. The sun’s magnetic field is where the ‘stuff’ is. It can be dangerous.

Science

NASA captured the clearest ever images of Earth’s radiation belt NASA captured the clearest ever images of Earth’s radiation belt

an illustration of an orange dot orbiting a larger orangish body in space

Science

Astronomers discover a new exoplanet orbiting the closest single star to the sun Astronomers discover a new exoplanet orbiting the closest single star to the sun

Science

China debuts its moon mission spacesuits China debuts its moon mission spacesuits

a bright green meteor streaks across the sky over cliffs

Science

October’s skies bring an oddball meteor and a shiny new comet–if you’re lucky October’s skies bring an oddball meteor and a shiny new comet–if you’re lucky

Z Machine operating at Sandia National Laboratories

Science

Could nukes deflect an asteroid? ‘X-ray scissors’ offer scientists clues. Could nukes deflect an asteroid? ‘X-ray scissors’ offer scientists clues.

Illustration of the cases where one impulse Δv = 10−1 m s−1 from a small asteroid impact has been applied to Apophis.

Science

Astrophysicist predicts (slightly) higher chance for major asteroid impact in 2029 Astrophysicist predicts (slightly) higher chance for major asteroid impact in 2029

A black and white image shows a silvery sheet of material toward the bottom

Science

NASA releases first photo of 860-square-foot solar sail in orbit NASA releases first photo of 860-square-foot solar sail in orbit

Meteorite impacts and volcanic eruption producing glass beads on the Moon.

Science

Volcanoes may have existed on the moon far more recently than we thought Volcanoes may have existed on the moon far more recently than we thought

Science

September stargazing: A second supermoon and partial lunar eclipse September stargazing: A second supermoon and partial lunar eclipse

Science

Just 5 impacts on Mars sent hundreds of meteorites to Earth Just 5 impacts on Mars sent hundreds of meteorites to Earth

Science

The moon was once covered in an ocean of magma: new data supports theory The moon was once covered in an ocean of magma: new data supports theory

Astronomy: the corona of the sun, viewed during a total solar eclipse. Process print after a photograph, 1871.

Science

‘The sun has been eaten’: A brief history of solar eclipses ‘The sun has been eaten’: A brief history of solar eclipses

By Briley Lewis

Odyssey’s THEMIS view the horizon of Mars.

Science

Ultrasonic tools could one day track wind speeds on Mars Ultrasonic tools could one day track wind speeds on Mars

NASA's InSight Mars lander acquired this image of the area in front of the lander using its lander-mounted, Instrument Context Camera (ICC).

Science

NASA data suggests there’s liquid water deep beneath Mars’ surface NASA data suggests there’s liquid water deep beneath Mars’ surface

By Shannon Hall / Knowable Magazine

Saturn’s moon Mimas, floating above the planet’s rings, might conceal a liquid ocean beneath its surface.

Science

Saturn’s moon Mimas may hide a surprisingly young ocean Saturn’s moon Mimas may hide a surprisingly young ocean

Mars

Scientists think atmospheric ‘glitter’ can warm Mars over 50 degrees Scientists think atmospheric ‘glitter’ can warm Mars over 50 degrees

a red aurora along with the stars of the milky way over mountains

Science

19 magnificent images from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist 19 magnificent images from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist

By Popular Science Team

Science

What it was like to spend a year in NASA’s Mars base simulation What it was like to spend a year in NASA’s Mars base simulation

Screenshot from music video for Missy Elliott's "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"

Deep Space

NASA beamed Missy Elliott’s ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ to her favorite planet NASA beamed Missy Elliott’s ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ to her favorite planet

Moons

There really are moon lava tunnels—and humans may live in them one day There really are moon lava tunnels—and humans may live in them one day

A new urine filtration system could help future astronauts explore further without needing to lug around hefty water reserves.

Science

Future astronauts could safely drink their own urine with this Dune-like device Future astronauts could safely drink their own urine with this Dune-like device

By Mack DeGeurin

The rim and floor of Gale Crater as seen from NASA’s Curiosity Rover.

Science

Mars was icy and wet billions of years ago, new study suggests Mars was icy and wet billions of years ago, new study suggests

Mars

Elon Musk’s Martian dreams include modded Cybertrucks and bioengineered animals Elon Musk’s Martian dreams include modded Cybertrucks and bioengineered animals