A diamond-shaped grey asteroid with ridges, holes, and craters in it, against a black background

Solar System

Don’t Worry About Bennu (Yet)

Careful measurements using the OSIRIS-REX spacecraft have refined astronomers’ predictions for how likely it is that this potentially hazardous asteroid will strike Earth.

Venus flybys

Solar System

Two Space Probes to Pass by Venus (Update)

Two spacecraft are heading for a close Venus encounter: Solar Orbiter passes by on August 9th and BepiColombo on August 10th.

Solar System

Two Extremely Red Asteroids Discovered Far from Home

Astronomers have discovered the two reddest objects in the asteroid belt, and their origin story might tell us more about planet formation.

Comet Interceptor

Solar System

How the Comet Interceptor Will Chase Visitors to the Inner Solar System

How will engineers plan the trajectory of Comet Interceptor, a mission designed to fly by an interstellar visitor, when its target is still unknown?

Solar System

"Liquid Water" Below Martian Surface Might Be Clay

Mysterious spots that scientists thought were subsurface lakes beneath the Martian south pole may instead be ancient clay deposits.

Near-Earth asteroid

Solar System

How Often Do Chicxulub-level Asteroids Hit Earth?

Asteroids of different sizes crashing on Earth originated from different parts of the main asteroid belt, researchers say; the finding has implications for how often such collisions happen.

Mars interior

Solar System

NASA's Insight Reveals First Look Inside Mars

The Insight mission science team has used about 10 deep marsquakes to take stock of the planet's anatomy.

Cratered Floor, Fratcured Rough

Solar System

NASA's Perseverance to Collect First Sample from Mars

Perseverance will soon collect the first of many samples from the Martian surface in a quest to answer whether the planet once hosted life.

close up of corner of jupiter with gaynmede in background

Solar System

Juno’s Ganymede Flyby: Video Update

NASA's Juno flew by Jupiter's Ganymede, the biggest moon in the solar system, on June 7, 2021.

Raised Ridges

Solar System

Mars Helicopter Scouts Risky Terrain for Perseverance Rover

The Ingenuity Mars helicopter has proven itself a valuable asset to Perseverance, scouting out terrain that the rover can't cross.

EnVision

Solar System

What Will ESA's EnVision Learn at Venus?

ESA's EnVision mission to Venus adds to the growing number of spacecraft investigating our sister planet. How will they work together to understand our sister planet'?

Jupiter, Ganymede, Europa and double shadows, March 25, 2019

Solar System

Amateur Astronomer Discovers New Moon of Jupiter

An amateur astronomer has discovered a new moon of Jupiter. While it hasn't received official designation yet, it would bring the tally of Jovian satellites to 80.

Solar System

NASA’s Curiosity Takes Step Toward Solving Mars Methane Mystery

New measurements from NASA’s Curiosity rover show that methane concentrations near the Martian surface vary on a daily cycle. The finding could help reconcile conflicting data.

Solar System

More Mysterious Buried Splotches on Mars Might Not be Liquid Water

Astronomers find more bright spots underneath Mars's south polar cap, but could they really be subterranean lakes?

Radar view of Venus

Solar System

Venus Surface Is Fragmented Like “Pack Ice”

A new analysis of old data suggests that some of our sister planet’s unique surface formations are due to a “squishy” crust and an active interior.

Solar System

Astronomers Map the Solar System's Edge in 3D

Collecting high-speed atoms has enabled researchers to trace the shape of our Sun’s protective bubble.

Orbit of Comet 2014 UN271

Solar System

Giant Oort Cloud Comet Lights Up in the Outer Solar System

Astronomers have discovered a new comet coming from the Oort Cloud — and it appears to be a big one.

Psyche

Solar System

Iron Volcanos: Maybe Not Science Fiction After All

A new study of asteroid 16 Psyche suggests that ferrovolcanism, volcanoes that spewed molten iron, might have been present on this object.

Zhurong selfie

Solar System

China’s Zhurong Rover Snaps Selfie on Mars

China's Zhurong rover gets to work exploring Mars, with a new panorama of its landing site.

Venus

Solar System

We're Heading to Venus! NASA Selects Discovery-class Missions

After a hiatus of several decades, NASA is about to return to Venus in a big way.