Planetary Science

Planetary Science

Rosetta spacecraft lands on comet, ends mission

The Rosetta mission comes to an end as spacecraft touches down on surface of comet 67P/ Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

Planetary Science

Rosetta spacecraft ends mission

The Rosetta mission comes to an end as spacecraft touches down on surface of comet 67P/ Churyumov–Gerasimenko.

Planetary Science

So long, Rosetta: End is near for comet orbiter

During its time in orbit around comet 67P, the Rosetta spacecraft discovered diverse terrains, organic molecules and a source of water quite different from Earth’s oceans.

Planetary Science

Europa spouting off again

Plumes of presumably water erupt from the surface of Jupiter’s frozen moon Europa, in images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Planetary Science

Mercury’s surface still changing

A population of small cliffs on Mercury suggests that the planet might have been tectonically active in the last 50 million years.

Planetary Science

A salty sea could lurk beneath the heart of Pluto

An ocean more than 100 kilometers thick might hide beneath Pluto’s surface.

Planetary Science

Source of Charon’s red north pole is probably Pluto

The dark red pole on Charon, the largest moon of Pluto, is probably gas that escaped from Pluto and was then transformed by sunlight.

Planetary Science

Source of Charon’s red north pole is probably Pluto

The dark red pole on Charon, the largest moon of Pluto, is probably gas that escaped from Pluto and was then transformed by sunlight.

Planetary Science

Moon rocks may have misled asteroid bombardment dating

Discrepancies in moon rock dating muddy Late Heavy Bombardment debate.

Planetary Science

Rock star Freddie Mercury now has his own space rock

Queen front man Freddie Mercury is the latest in a long list of celebrities to have an asteroid named after him.

Planetary Science

OSIRIS-REx spacecraft launches tonight for mission to grab asteroid sample

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is about to launch for a seven-year mission to study the asteroid Bennu and bring samples of the space rock back to Earth.

Planetary Science

Philae lander spotted on comet 67P

Missing since November 2014, the Philae comet lander has been found lurking in the shadows on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.