Planetary Science
- Astronomy
A sandy core may have kept Enceladus’ ocean warm
Friction in Enceladus’ porous core could help heat its ocean enough to keep it liquid for billions of years.
- Planetary Science
See a new mosaic of images of comet 67P from the Rosetta mission
A montage of images taken by the Rosetta spacecraft and its lander, Philae, recap the daring mission to comet 67P.
- Earth
Dino-dooming asteroid impact created a chilling sulfur cloud
The Chicxulub impact spewed more sulfur than previously believed.
- Astronomy
An interstellar asteroid might have just been spotted for the first time
A newly spotted asteroid might be the first known to come from outside the solar system, and it could carry information about the makeup of alien planet systems.
- Astronomy
Dawn spacecraft will keep orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres indefinitely
NASA just gave the Dawn spacecraft a second mission extension to orbit Ceres indefinitely.
- Astronomy
Here’s what space toilets can teach us about finding signs of alien life
Lessons learned from flushing space toilets can help researchers plan life-hunting missions to icy moons.
- Astronomy
Oddball dwarf planet Haumea has a ring
The dwarf planet Haumea is now the most distant ringed object spotted in the solar system.
- Astronomy
Why it’s good news that Pluto doesn’t have rings
The New Horizons team searched for rings around Pluto, and found nothing. That suggests the spacecraft’s next destination might be ring-free too.
- Astronomy
How a meteor shower helped solve the case of the vanishing comet
A missing comet has been linked to a long-lost meteor shower, helping astronomers recover both.
- Astronomy
New questions about Arecibo’s future swirl in the wake of Hurricane Maria
The iconic Arecibo Observatory was damaged in Hurricane Maria, but not as much as originally thought. But its funding is still in doubt.
- Astronomy
Ice in space might flow like honey and bubble like champagne
Zapping simulated space ice with imitation starlight makes the ice act more like a liquid than a solid, meaning similar ices in space might be good places for organic chemistry.
- Astronomy
R.I.P. Cassini
After 20 years, nearly 300 orbits and pioneering discoveries, the Cassini spacecraft plunges to its death in Saturn’s atmosphere — taking data until its very last breath.
