Planetary Science

Astronomy

Astronomers scrutinized last year’s eclipse. Here’s what they’ve learned

Astronomers observed the 2017 total solar eclipse from the ground and the air, and found some never-before-seen features of the sun’s atmosphere.

Astronomy

Pluto’s demotion ignores astronomical history

A historical review of asteroids’ planetary status suggests Pluto’s demotion was not justified.

Planetary Science

Satellite smashups could have given birth to Saturn’s odd moons

Nearly head-on collisions between icy moonlets might be responsible for the peculiar shapes of some of Saturn’s moons, computer simulations suggest.

Planetary Science

China is set to launch a satellite to support a future lunar rover

China is set to launch a satellite to support a future lunar rover that will make the first-ever visit to the farside of the moon.

Animals

Readers amazed by Jupiter discoveries, giant viruses and more

Readers had questions about the latest findings of Jupiter, giant viruses being recognized as a new kingdom of life and tardigrade poop.

Planetary Science

Another hint of Europa’s watery plumes found in 20-year-old Galileo data

A fresh look at old data suggests that NASA’s Galileo spacecraft may have seen a plume from Jupiter’s icy moon Europa in 1997.

Astronomy

The recipes for solar system formation are getting a rewrite

A new understanding of exoplanets and their stars is rewriting the recipes for planet formation.

Planetary Science

Getting NASA’s Pluto mission off the ground took blood, sweat and years

Alan Stern talks about the new book ‘Chasing New Horizons’ and what’s next for the spacecraft that got close to Pluto.

Planetary Science

NASA gets ready to launch the first lander to investigate Mars’ insides

The InSight lander is launching to Mars on May 5 and is expected to be in position to sense seismic activity by early 2019.

Planetary Science

Last year’s solar eclipse set off a wave in the upper atmosphere

The August 2017 solar eclipse launched a wave in the upper atmosphere that was detected from Brazil after the eclipse ended.

Planetary Science

Asteroids could have delivered water to the early Earth

Shooting mineral pellets at a simulated planet suggests an impact wouldn’t have boiled all of an asteroid’s water away.

Planetary Science

Uranus smells like rotten eggs

Planetary scientists detected hydrogen sulfide in Uranus’ upper clouds — the same compound that gives rotten eggs their terrible smell.