Solar System(Page 3)

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

Panels A, B, and C each show stereographic image pairs of the asteroid Dinkinesh taken by the L’LORRI Instrument aboard NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft. The images were taken in the minutes around closest approach on November 1, 2023. The yellow and rose dots indicate the trough and ridge features, respectively. These images have been sharpened and processed to enhance contrast. Panel D shows a side view of Dinkinesh and its satellite Selam taken a few minutes after closest approach.

NASA

The odd moon orbiting a ‘Dinky’ asteroid is actually two moons fused together The odd moon orbiting a ‘Dinky’ asteroid is actually two moons fused together

By Laura Baisas

An artist’s impression of ESA’s ExoMars rover, Rosalind Franklin.

Europe’s first Mars rover will use nuclear-powered heaters Europe’s first Mars rover will use nuclear-powered heaters

Comet above Spain

Watch a meteor’s incredible light show above Spain and Portugal Watch a meteor’s incredible light show above Spain and Portugal

Mars might have an asteroid problem Mars might have an asteroid problem

By Briley Lewis

Concept art of lunar base with floating train path alongside astronauts

Wild NASA proposal envisions magnetic hover trains on the moon Wild NASA proposal envisions magnetic hover trains on the moon

The planet Venus is dry thanks to water loss to space as atomic hydrogen. In the dominant loss process, an HCO+ ion recombines with an electron, producing speedy hydrogen atoms (orange) that use CO molecules (blue) as a launchpad to escape.

Why Venus is so dry Why Venus is so dry

By Laura Baisas

A Long March 5 rocket, carrying the Chang'e-6 mission lunar probe, lifts off as it rains at the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in southern China's Hainan Province on May 3, 2024.

China is en route to collect first-ever samples from the far side of the moon China is en route to collect first-ever samples from the far side of the moon

a small asteroid orbits around a larger one

‘Lucy’s baby’ asteroid is only about 2 to 3 million years old ‘Lucy’s baby’ asteroid is only about 2 to 3 million years old

By Laura Baisas

Intercropped tomato (left) compared to monocropped tomatoes (right). Both were planted on the same day, but here we can see that the intercropped tomato plant is larger, bears more fruit, and the tomatoes ripened earlier than its monocropped counterpart.

Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars Ancient farm practice could help sustain future humans on Mars

By Laura Baisas

Moon photograph from Artemis 1

China compiled the most detailed moon atlas ever mapped China compiled the most detailed moon atlas ever mapped

Image of sun highlighting four solar events

Rare quadruple solar flare event captured by NASA Rare quadruple solar flare event captured by NASA

left image- This rectangular image shows part of the martian surface as if the viewer is looking down and across the landscape, with the irregular, mottled ground appearing in swirled tones of brown and tan. right image- A slice of the martian surface is shown here. A rounded segment of an eroded crater basin is visible to the right. The key features seen across the image are dark spots with tendrils that are eerily reminiscent of spiders. These are visible in large numbers to the left, and scattered irregularly across the rest of the image.

Gassy geysers create ‘spiders’ on Mars Gassy geysers create ‘spiders’ on Mars

By Laura Baisas

ACS3 solar sail concept art above Earth

NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube

An artist’s concept of NASA’s Voyager 1 traveling through interstellar space–or the space between stars.

Greetings, Earth! NASA can understand Voyager 1 again Greetings, Earth! NASA can understand Voyager 1 again

By Laura Baisas

an artist's illustration of a lava lake on one of jupiter's moons. it is primarily black as the magma has cooled with orange lava encircling it

Smooth lava lake on Jupiter’s moon sizzles in NASA aerial animations Smooth lava lake on Jupiter’s moon sizzles in NASA aerial animations

By Laura Baisas

Close-up photos of ReachBot.

Daddy long-legs-inspired robot could one day squirm through Martian caves Daddy long-legs-inspired robot could one day squirm through Martian caves

By Mack DeGeurin

NASA wants to measure moonquakes with laser-powered fiber optic cables NASA wants to measure moonquakes with laser-powered fiber optic cables

Toyota concept art for lunar RV

Japan and NASA plan a historic lunar RV roadtrip together Japan and NASA plan a historic lunar RV roadtrip together

People looking up at eclipse wearing protective glasses

Internet use dipped in the eclipse’s path of totality Internet use dipped in the eclipse’s path of totality

a partial eclipse behind the hand of the statue of liberty

14 stellar photos from the 2024 total solar eclipse 14 stellar photos from the 2024 total solar eclipse

By Popular Science Team

a couple wearing glasses sits on the grass watching the eclipse

How to look at the eclipse without damaging your eyes How to look at the eclipse without damaging your eyes

By Claire Maldarelli

A cardboard pinhole camera to watch an eclipse

DIY

How to make a pinhole camera to watch the solar eclipse How to make a pinhole camera to watch the solar eclipse

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle concept art

It’s on! Three finalists will design a lunar rover for Artemis It’s on! Three finalists will design a lunar rover for Artemis

Buzz Aldrin on the moon next to American flag.

NASA is designing a time zone just for the moon NASA is designing a time zone just for the moon

a swirling, purple galaxy in space

Older galaxies are more chaotic Older galaxies are more chaotic

By Laura Baisas

LSST Camera Deputy Project Manager Travis Lange shines a flashlight into the LSST Camera.

A 3,200-megapixel digital camera is ready for its cosmic photoshoot A 3,200-megapixel digital camera is ready for its cosmic photoshoot

a full moon with some clouds obscuring it

April skygazing: A total solar eclipse, a meteor shower, and the Pink Moon April skygazing: A total solar eclipse, a meteor shower, and the Pink Moon

By Laura Baisas

Image taken of JAXA SLIM lunar lander on moon upside down

Japan’s SLIM moon lander survives a second brutal lunar night Japan’s SLIM moon lander survives a second brutal lunar night

A man uses a tinted glass to watch as the moon passes infront of the Earth's star marking a total eclipse, the only one this year, in Vigo, northwestern Spain on March 20, 2015.

This is the most cosmically perfect time in history This is the most cosmically perfect time in history

By Popular Science Team

2017 Total Solar Eclipse timelapse

How to photograph the eclipse, according to NASA How to photograph the eclipse, according to NASA

the icy white core of a comet surrounded by green dust

Don’t miss your chance to see the cryovolcanic ‘devil comet’ Don’t miss your chance to see the cryovolcanic ‘devil comet’

By Laura Baisas

Timelapse of total solar eclipse showcasing Baily's beads

NASA needs your smartphone during April’s solar eclipse NASA needs your smartphone during April’s solar eclipse

A circular asteroid with a smaller rock orbiting it. The asteroid Dimorphos was captured by NASA’s DART mission just two seconds before the spacecraft struck its surface on September 26, 2022.

NASA’s asteroid blaster turned a space rock into an ‘oblong watermelon’ NASA’s asteroid blaster turned a space rock into an ‘oblong watermelon’

By Laura Baisas

Why do solar eclipses happen? Why do solar eclipses happen?

By Christopher Palma/The Conversation

Google Earth Image of seismic center and truck road

‘Alien’ signal was likely a very big truck ‘Alien’ signal was likely a very big truck

The full moon rises behind the Castel del Monte in Andria, Italy on March 7, 2023. March's full moon is also called the worm moon.

March’s skies shine with the worm moon, a bright Mercury, and penumbral lunar eclipse March’s skies shine with the worm moon, a bright Mercury, and penumbral lunar eclipse

By Laura Baisas

Why our tumultuous sun was relatively quiet in the late 1600s

Why our tumultuous sun was relatively quiet in the late 1600s Why our tumultuous sun was relatively quiet in the late 1600s

By Briley Lewis

Odie the lunar lander is not dead yet

Odie the lunar lander is not dead yet Odie the lunar lander is not dead yet

The discovery image of the new Uranian moon S/2023 U1 using the Magellan telescope. Uranus is just off the field of view in the upper left, as seen by the increased scattered light. S/2023 U1 is the faint point of light in the center of the image with the arrow pointing to it. The trails are from background stars.

Astronomers discover new moons orbiting Uranus and Neptune Astronomers discover new moons orbiting Uranus and Neptune

By Laura Baisas

Image taken of JAXA SLIM lunar lander on moon upside down

SLIM lives! Japan’s upside-down lander is online after a brutal lunar night SLIM lives! Japan’s upside-down lander is online after a brutal lunar night

Colorful cricket on green leaf

NASA wants you to record crickets during April’s solar eclipse NASA wants you to record crickets during April’s solar eclipse

Odysseus passes over the near side of the moon. The photo was taken while the spacecraft was orbiting the moon.

‘Odie’ makes space history with successful moon landing ‘Odie’ makes space history with successful moon landing

By Laura Baisas

A total solar eclipse is seen on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, from onboard a NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s Gulfstream III 25,000 feet above the Oregon coast. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.

Delta’s solar eclipse flight sold out, but your best bet to see it is still down here Delta’s solar eclipse flight sold out, but your best bet to see it is still down here

The planet Earth as seen from space, aboard the Odysseus spacecraft.

‘Odie’ snaps its first images of Earth on its way to the moon ‘Odie’ snaps its first images of Earth on its way to the moon

By Laura Baisas

Concept art of NASA Mars habitat

How to apply for NASA’s next Mars habitat simulation How to apply for NASA’s next Mars habitat simulation

A graphic rendering of an asteroid in space, with a close up on where water molecules are on the surface.

Water molecules detected on the surface of an asteroid in space for the first time Water molecules detected on the surface of an asteroid in space for the first time

By Laura Baisas

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida a

‘Odie’ is en route for its potentially historic moon landing ‘Odie’ is en route for its potentially historic moon landing

By Laura Baisas

Phobos creating partial solar eclipse on Mars, image taken by Perseverance rover

A Martian solar eclipse turns the sun into a giant googly eye A Martian solar eclipse turns the sun into a giant googly eye

The Ingenuity helicopter sits on the surface of Mars on February 4, 2024.

NASA’s Perseverance Rover spots damaged, lonely Ingenuity helicopter in the ‘bland’ part of Mars NASA’s Perseverance Rover spots damaged, lonely Ingenuity helicopter in the ‘bland’ part of Mars

By Laura Baisas

SLIM lunar lander final moon photo

This may be SLIM’s farewell transmission from the moon This may be SLIM’s farewell transmission from the moon

Face-on spiral galaxy, NGC 628, is split diagonally in this image: The James Webb Space Telescope’s observations appear at top left, and the Hubble Space Telescope’s on bottom right. JWST’s observations combine near- and mid-infrared light and Hubble’s showcase visible light. Dust absorbs ultraviolet and visible light, and then re-emits it in the infrared. In JWST’s images, we see dust glowing in infrared light. In Hubble’s images, dark regions are where starlight is absorbed by dust.

JWST images show off the swirling arms of 19 spiral galaxies JWST images show off the swirling arms of 19 spiral galaxies

By Laura Baisas

The full moon rises, with clouds below and behind it.

The moon is shrinking (very slowly) The moon is shrinking (very slowly)

By Laura Baisas

Ingenuity rotocopter on Mars

RIP Mars Ingenuity, the ‘little helicopter that could’ RIP Mars Ingenuity, the ‘little helicopter that could’

Image taken of JAXA SLIM lunar lander on moon upside down

Japan’s SLIM lunar lander stuck the landing—upside down Japan’s SLIM lunar lander stuck the landing—upside down

A top-down view of the OSIRIS-REx Touch-and-Go-Sample-Acquisition-Mechanism (TAGSAM) head with the lid removed, revealing the remainder of the asteroid sample inside. The picture was taken using manual high-resolution precision photography and a semi-automated focus stacking procedure. The result is an image that can be zoomed in on to show extreme detail of the sample. The remaining sample material includes dust and rocks up to about 0.4 inch in size.

This is what’s inside NASA’s previously stuck asteroid sampler This is what’s inside NASA’s previously stuck asteroid sampler

By Laura Baisas

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter concept art above moon

NASA bounced a laser off a cookie-sized device on the moon NASA bounced a laser off a cookie-sized device on the moon

JAXA lunar lander robots, LEV-1 and LEV-2

Japan makes history with its first uncrewed moon landing Japan makes history with its first uncrewed moon landing

A team of astronomers identified a new radio source (white square) in the center of globular cluster 47 Tucanae (red circle).

Astronomers produce most sensitive radio image of a globular cluster ever taken Astronomers produce most sensitive radio image of a globular cluster ever taken

By Laura Baisas

A colorized view of the DOLCE structure finalizing its uncoiling process, as seen from the boom camera, over Antarctica, on August 22, 2023.

The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit

Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot and the surrounding turbulent zones, shown in shades of white and brown.

Earth isn’t the only planet with seasons, but they can look wildly different on other worlds Earth isn’t the only planet with seasons, but they can look wildly different on other worlds

By Gongjie Li / The Conversation

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx curation engineer, Neftali Hernandez, attaches one of the tools developed to help remove two final fasteners that prohibited complete disassembly of the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism head that holds the remainder of material collected from asteroid Bennu. Engineers on the team, based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, developed new tools that freed the fasteners on January 10.

NASA finally pries open stuck Bennu asteroid sampler NASA finally pries open stuck Bennu asteroid sampler

By Laura Baisas

Smoke billows out of two engines as United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur, lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41d at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 8, 2024. The new rocket is carrying Astrobotic's Peregrine Lunar Lander.

Peregrine lunar lander experiences ‘critical loss of propellant’ following successful launch Peregrine lunar lander experiences ‘critical loss of propellant’ following successful launch

By Laura Baisas

Voyager 2/ISS images of Uranus and Neptune released shortly after the Voyager 2 flybys in 1986 and 1989, respectively, compared with a reprocessing of the individual filter images in this study to determine the best estimate of the true colors of these planets.

This is what Uranus and Neptune may really look like This is what Uranus and Neptune may really look like

By Laura Baisas

A reddish moon on a black background, dotted with several gray marks that are volcanoes. Jupiter's moon Io is one of Jupiter’s several moons. This image was taken on December 30, 2023 during the Juno spacecraft’s flyby of this volcanic Jupiterian moon.

See the most volcanic world in our solar system in new NASA images See the most volcanic world in our solar system in new NASA images

By Laura Baisas