SUNSET: 
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Astronomy in Pictures: Unraveling Galaxies and Clyde's Spot
This week in astronomy pictures: Peer into our galaxy's busy core, watch Clyde's Spot unravel at Jupiter, and see a stunning Hubble photo of a lopsided galaxy.
Dawn Delight: Catch the Total Lunar Eclipse on May 26, 2021
On May 26th the Moon will be in total eclipse for the first time in nearly two and a half years. While timing favors western North America, a partial eclipse will be visible across much of the U.S. and Canada at dawn.
Interstellar and Solar System Comets Share a Surprising Ingredient: Nickel
Cold comets — both natives and the interstellar Comet Borisov — have nickel and iron vapor in their atmospheres, and scientists want to know why.
China's Zhurong Rover Lands on Mars (Update: New Images)
The Zhurong rover has successfully landed on the Red Planet in an ambitious first for China's space agency.
Helium Rain Inside Saturn Might Shape Its Magnetic Field
A thick inner layer of slowly falling helium blobs might help explain Saturn's almost perfectly aligned magnetic field.
Sights and Sounds of the Solar System
Spacecraft are returning sights and sounds from Venus, Jupiter, and beyond — here's a sampling.
NASA's OSIRIS-REX Leaves Asteroid Bennu, Heads for Home
NASA’s asteroid explorer has begun its long journey home with precious cargo onboard: samples of the asteroid Bennu.
Water-Ice Clouds Could Have Warmed Early Mars
New simulations show that the greenhouse effect of high water-ice clouds could have warmed early Mars, permitting the presence of long-ago lakes.
The Hubble Space Telescope As Cosmic-Ray Detector
Astronomers, using Hubble Space Telescope as a particle detector, have traced cosmic rays flowing in Earth's geomagnetic field.
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter: First Flight on Mars
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has made its brief hop into the history books of interplanetary aviation.
Make the Most of Comet ATLAS
Bright comets will be scarce this year, but you can see one of the better ones this month as it races from Aquila to Canes Venatici. In other news, a new, bright nova has flared in Sagittarius.
Interstellar Comet Was Pristine Sample of Planet Formation
New analysis shows that Comet 2I/Borisov, which zipped nearest the Sun in late 2019, was unlike any comet we’ve seen before.
Asteroid Apophis Will Miss Earth in 2068
Radar measurements taken early this month rule out any chance of a collision with Apophis over the next 100 years.
Jupiter's Great Red Spot Gets Smaller — But Stronger
"Flakes" coming off the Great Red Spot have had some wondering if this epic storm is coming to an end. But observations and computer modeling show it's only getting stronger.
