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

This image of NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was taken by the Mastcam-Z instrument of the Perseverance rover on June 15, 2021, the 114th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The location, "Airfield D" (the fourth airfield), is just east of the "Séítah" geologic unit.

NASA is finishing its first off-world accident report NASA is finishing its first off-world accident report

NASA needs your help designing a gurney for the moon NASA needs your help designing a gurney for the moon

An artificially colored view of Jupiter as seen in ultraviolet light. In addition to the Great Red Spot, which appears blue, another oval feature can be seen in the brown haze at Jupiter's south pole. The oval, an area of concentrated haze, is possibly the result of mixing generated by a vortex higher up in the planet's ionosphere. These dark UV ovals also appear periodically at the north pole, though less often.

Great Red What? Check out Jupiter’s giant, magnetic tornado Great Red What? Check out Jupiter’s giant, magnetic tornado

By Laura Baisas

Concept art depicting Starship HLS on lunar surface with Earth in background

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

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

By Laura Baisas

swirling blue and brown image on half moon and black background

Jupiter stuns in new images Jupiter stuns in new images

By Popular Science Team

Lafayette-Meteorite

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

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.

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

By Laura Baisas

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

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

By Laura Baisas

mars the planet

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

By Joel S. Levine / The Conversation

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

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.

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.

By Laura Baisas

JUICE image of Earth's radiation belt

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

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

By Laura Baisas

Chinese lunar spacesuit

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

a bright green meteor streaks across the sky over cliffs

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

By Laura Baisas

Z Machine operating at Sandia National Laboratories

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.

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

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