Planetary Science

  1. Planetary Science

    Comet delivered a showy meteor shower — on Mars

    Comet Siding Spring dumped several tons of material into the Martian atmosphere that could have damaged NASA spacecraft.

    By Science News Staff
  2. Planetary Science

    Water arrived on Earth earlier than thought

    Ancient meteorites from the asteroid Vesta indicate that Earth’s water was available before planet formed.

    By Christopher Crockett
  3. Science & Society

    Asteroids closer to home may get us to Mars

    NASA should abandon its attempt to bring a space rock into lunar orbit and instead scrutinize ones already whizzing by Earth, one scientist argues.

    By Science News Staff
  4. Planetary Science

    Rosetta’s comet is starting to let off more gas

    Rosetta's close encounter with comet 67P reveals the growth of its jets and what's in the comet's surrounding haze.

    By Ashley Yeager
  5. Planetary Science

    Mars orbiter snaps close up of comet Siding Spring

    NASA's spacecraft are giving astronomers a good look at a comet from the Oort cloud.

    By Ashley Yeager
  6. Planetary Science

    Comet Siding Spring makes close pass by Mars

    Mars appears to have survived its close encounter with comet Siding Spring mostly unscathed.

    By Ashley Yeager
  7. Planetary Science

    ‘Mars Rover Curiosity’ chronicles robot’s journey

    Engineer Rob Manning recounts the decade of victories and setbacks that preceded Curiosity’s landing on Mars.

    By Christopher Crockett
  8. Astronomy

    Second stop planned for mission to Pluto

    Scientists identify three possible targets for the New Horizons probe after it visits the former planet.

    By Science News Staff
  9. Planetary Science

    Surprises lurk inside a Saturn moon

    NASA’s Cassini spacecraft finds possible ocean or football-shaped core inside Mimas.

    By Christopher Crockett
  10. Planetary Science

    MAVEN gives first look at Mars’ escaping atmosphere

    Bits of Mars have been caught in the act of floating off into space.

    By Ashley Yeager
  11. Chemistry

    Lasers wrest oxygen from carbon dioxide

    By zapping oxygen molecules off carbon dioxide, an experiment hints that Earth may have had breathable air long before the dawn of plants.

    By Beth Mole
  12. Planetary Science

    Sun may make most of the water on moon’s surface

    A constant stream of particles from the sun bombarding the moon's surface may be the source of most lunar water.

    By Ashley Yeager