SUNSET: 
Neptune's Rings, Jupiter's “Frosted Cupcakes,” and 3D Views of Mars
Three solar system emissaries have returned beautiful and even interactive vistas of Neptune, Jupiter, and Mars.
Jupiter's Exceptionally Close Opposition
A sentinel in the autumnal sky, Jupiter marks its closest opposition since 1963.
Perseverance Finds Ancient Habitable Conditions on Mars
The mission team has reported results from Perseverance's study of the rocks deposited by the river that once flowed into Jezero Crater.
Lost Moon Could Solve Saturn’s Riddles
An icy moon torn apart in Saturn's gravitational field some 150 million years ago could explain why the planet's rings are so young and a host of other puzzles.
Webb Reveals Jupiter, Puffy Planet, and Galactic Maelstroms in a New Light
Round out your week with these stunning views of the universe from the James Webb Space telescope.
NASA's InSight Lander Finds Tropical Mars Is Dry
Evidence for water ice exists at the poles of Mars and even at mid-latitudes, but new evidence shows equatorial Mars is dry. The find has implications for past habitability and future human missions to Mars.
First Inter-Venusian Asteroid, Named ‘Ayló’chaxnim, Hints at a New Population
The discovery of an asteroid inside Venus's orbit might be the first of a new population within the inner solar system.
Observe Vesta — and Own a Piece of It, Too
Vesta's bright and easy to find in binoculars and maybe even with the naked eye in late summer skies. It's also just as easy to acquire a piece of it without a multi-billion dollar space mission.
Did the Dinosaur-killing Asteroid Have a Sidekick?
The asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago might not have arrived alone.
Asteroid Ceres Was Radioactive — and That Could Explain a Lot
Radioactive heating in this asteroid's early days may have destabilized the small world, creating asymmetric surface features.
Perseids Are Coming, Full Moon or Not
Don't use a full Moon pass to skip this year's Perseid meteor shower. Right here, right now, we're going to help you make the most of it.
Caught in a Solar Storm on the Way to Mars
A chance alignment between Earth and a Mars-bound spacecraft has given us a rare glimpse at the motions of high-energy particles from the Sun.
Why Are Jupiter's Rings So Thin?
Why does the biggest planet in the solar system have such flimsy rings? New research shows Jupiter's moons may be to blame.
When Planets Collect Comets
What kind of planets are likely to ensnare comets coming in from the icy outer reaches of a planetary system?
See a Rare Transit of Iapetus on July 17–18
It's tiny. It's challenging. But you won't get the chance to see Iapetus transit the globe of Saturn again until 2037!
Asteroid Bennu Almost Swallowed Spacecraft Whole
Scientists knew the asteroid Bennu was likely a rubble pile rather than solid rock, but OSIRIS-REX's recent visit surprised them in showing just how loosely the asteroid really is.
Titan Occults a Bright Star, Mira Awakens, and Comet PanSTARRS Shines
Pick one or see them all. July offers a potpourri of celestial events for both naked-eye observers and telescope users that include a rare occultation by Saturn's moon Titan, a bright comet, and Mira at maximum.
Solar System Gets its Ducks in a Row
We'll have not one but many opportunities to enjoy a rare lineup of the bright planets over the next few weeks. Amazingly, they'll be aligned in order of their distance from the Sun.
Perseverance Watches Wild Winds on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover is recording the windy weather in Jezero Crater, chronicling its role in making the Red Planet dusty.
Tau Herculid Meteors Surprise and Delight
We touch on the highlights of the memorable Tau Herculid meteor shower and also report on the recent outburst of the recurrent nova U Scorpii.
