SUNSET: 
Hayabusa 2: Welcome to Ryugu
We got a peek at a new worldlet in the inner solar system this week, as the Japanese Aerospace Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa-2 gave us our first good looks at the tiny asteroid 162173 Ryugu.
Big Dust Storm Blows up on Mars (Updated)
Will Mars soon be hidden under a veil of dust? Let's hope not. We explore the current storm and the planet's upcoming close opposition.
Martian Supervolcano Created Mysterious Rock Formation
Scientists have discovered that a supervolcano likely created a mysterious rock formation on Mars some 3 billion years ago.
Mars Dust Storm Grows — Curiosity's Skies Darkening
The dust storm on Mars that broke out at the end of May is now affecting the skies across the entire planet.
Apollo Astronauts Warmed the Moon
A new study sheds light on an old mystery surrounding anomalous readings from the Apollo landing sites.
No Planet Nine? Small-body Pile-up Could Explain Odd Orbits
New research shows that interactions between small objects beyond Neptune’s orbit —and not a hypothetical Planet Nine — could be the reason some far-flung solar system objects “detach” from their original orbits.
Methane and Other Organics on Mars
The Curiosity rover has detected organic molecules in ancient rocks on Mars.
Curiosity Rover is Drilling Again
An innovative technique has allowed NASA's Curiosity Rover to resume drilling Martian rocks. But the partially successful test shows that more work remains to be done.
Why Are the Galilean Moons So Massive?
Scientists propose that Saturn’s meddling helped create the four giant Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter.
Dunes on Pluto
Planetary scientists think they’ve found wind-built ripples of methane ice on the king of the Kuiper Belt.
Known Close Stellar Encounters Surge in Number
A new analysis of our stellar neighborhood reveals 7 times as much nearby stellar traffic as previously known.
Did This Wrong-way Asteroid Come from Beyond the Solar System?
An intriguing asteroid was spotted traveling backwards around Jupiter back in 2015. Now a team of researchers think it could have formed around another star.
Helicopter to Hitch a Ride with Mars 2020 Rover
A small helicopter will be the first mission to fly through the skies of Mars.
NASA's Galileo Measures Plumes on Jupiter's Moon Europa
A new analysis of decades-old data from NASA’s Galileo spacecraft, which reached the Jupiter system in 1995, shows the best evidence yet for plumes from the icy moon Europa.
Mars-bound CubeSats Launch With NASA's InSight
The Mars Cube One mission — the first to send CubeSats into interplanetary space — will test revolutionary relay technologies as it accompanies Mars Insight to the Red Planet.
NASA's InSight Lander Heads to Mars
Rising through thick fog from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA's latest mission intends to probe deeply into Mars and decipher how it formed.
Mud Cracks on Mars Reveal Lake's History
Curiosity spotted polygonal shapes on the surface of rocks on Mars — now, analysis of these mud cracks is revealing the history of the long-ago lake that once filled Gale Crater.
Pluto's Moon Charon Receives Formal Names
The International Astronomical Union has approved names for features on Pluto's largest moon, Charon.
Is ‘Oumuamua an Interstellar Pancake?
A new analysis of more than 800 telescopic observations suggests that our first known interstellar visitor could have the shape of a cigar or a fat disk.
Hubble: Weather Watcher of the Outer Solar System
Hubble's powerful eye scouts the outer planets once an Earth year, shedding light on planetary weather, like Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Neptune's Great Dark Spot.
