Planetary Science

Astronomy

Most complete map of Titan reveals connected seas and cookie-cutter lakes

The latest map of Titan, based on all the data from the Cassini spacecraft, displays new details about the moon’s lakes and seas.

Astronomy

We still don’t know where the first interstellar asteroid came from

Astronomers are tracking stars to see if one of them launched the first interstellar asteroid at Earth.

Astronomy

Here is Cassini’s last broad look at the Saturn system

Two days before plunging into Saturn, Cassini took a mosaic image of the gas giant, its rings and its moons.

Astronomy

Haze keeps Pluto cool by kicking heat out to space

Pluto may be the only place in the solar system whose atmosphere is kept cool by solid hazes, not warmed by gas.

Astronomy

NASA wants your help naming New Horizons’ next destination

NASA’s New Horizons mission team is asking the public to vote on a nickname for the spacecraft’s next destination.

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.