Planetary Science

Planetary Science

How NASA has kept Apollo moon rocks safe from contamination for 50 years

NASA wouldn’t let our reporter touch the Apollo moon rocks. Here’s why that’s a good thing.

Planetary Science

Apollo astronauts left trash, mementos and experiments on the moon

Here’s what planetary scientists are learning from the remains of Apollo outposts, and how archeologists hope to preserve it.

Planetary Science

Celebrate the moon landing anniversary with books that go beyond the small step

New books about Apollo 11 and the mission to the moon offer something for everyone, from astronomy lovers to fans of graphic novels and self-improvement buffs.

Planetary Science

Hayabusa2 may have just snagged bits of asteroid Ryugu’s insides

In its second sampling attempt, Hayabusa2 became the first spacecraft to try to pick up some of an asteroid’s guts.

Planetary Science

See how visualizations of the moon have changed over time

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, here’s a collection of images that show how the moon has been visualized over the ages.

Anthropology

Ancient humans used the moon as a calendar in the sky

Whether the moon was a timekeeper for early humans, as first argued during the Apollo missions, is still up for debate.

Planetary Science

Readers wanted to know about asteroids, lithium batteries and more

Readers had questions and comments about asteroids, lithium batteries, and pyroclastic flows.

Planetary Science

With Dragonfly, NASA is heading back to Saturn’s moon Titan

NASA’s next robotic mission to explore the solar system is headed to Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.

Tech

How NASA’s portable atomic clock could revolutionize space travel

An atomic clock designed to enable self-driving spaceships and GPS-like navigation on other planets is about to take a yearlong test flight.

Astronomy

Table salt may be hiding in Europa’s underground sea

Observations of Europa by the Hubble Space Telescope suggest that the moon’s ice-covered ocean may hold sodium chloride, or common table salt.

Planetary Science

Icy volcanoes on Pluto may have spewed organic-rich water

Planetary scientists found ammonia-rich ice near cracks on Pluto, suggesting the dwarf planet had recent icy volcanoes.

Planetary Science

China’s lunar rover may have found minerals from the moon’s mantle

The Chang’e-4 mission spotted material on the lunar surface that appears to contain bits originating from the moon’s interior.