Four of Uranus's Moons Might Contain Briny Oceans
Four of Uranus's five icy moons likely contain a thin layer of briny (or otherwise enriched) water, astronomers have concluded from Voyager 2 data.
The Sun's Ramping Up Activity — But Still Weaker Than in the Past
The Sun has recently experienced an uptick in activity, with lots of sunspots accompanied by flares, coronal mass ejections, and visible auroras — but experts still expect a mild solar cycle.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Magnets Are Bad News for Meteorites
Common handheld magnets can erase crucial data in ancient meteorites.
European JUICE Mission Launches for Jupiter
The European Space Agency’s first dedicated mission to the icy moons of Jupiter has launched successfully.
85,000 Volcanoes Mapped on Venus
A new catalog pinpoints volcanic cones in the best available surface images of Venus – those gathered 30 years ago by NASA’s Magellan spacecraft.
Does Earth Have a New Quasi-Moon?
Astronomers have discovered an asteroid that orbits the Sun with Earth, earning it the moniker "quasi-moon."
James Webb Space Telescope Captures Another Ringed Planet
Webb has returned an image of ringed Uranus, currently experiencing the dog days of northern hemisphere summer.
Explore the Night with Bob King
Pleasures of Lunar Pareidolia
Do you still see animal shapes in clouds? If so, you'll enjoy doing the same with the Moon, home to the Moon Maiden, a giant pair of scissors, and other fantastic specters of light and shadow.
The Odd Behavior of Interstellar Object 'Oumuamua, Explained
It wasn't aliens after all — an astrochemist and an astronomer have teamed up to explain why the interstellar object 1I/'Oumuamua behaved the way it did.
Analysis of Asteroid Ryugu Reveals Prebiotic Compounds
Prebiotic compounds previously found in meteorites have now turned up in pristine samples from the asteroid Ryugu, confirming their extraterrestrial origin.
Finally! Scientists Find Active Volcano on Venus
After decades of searching, scientists have finally found a clear sign of active volcanism on Venus.
Amateur Astronomers Help Provide Uninterrupted View of Venus’s Clouds
The newest observations will help astronomers understand a planetary-scale wave in the atmosphere of our sister planet.
Water on Earth Might Predate the Solar System
Astronomers studying the water vapor around a newborn star find that it’s chemically similar to ice in solar system comets, a possible source of Earth’s oceans.
Do Diamonds Rain on the Ice Giants?
New research shows diamonds might condense out of Neptune's mantle, but not Uranus', explaining a decades-old discrepancy.
The Aftermath of DART, Humankind’s First Planetary Defense Mission
Five new studies give a full accounting of the aftermath of the impact of NASA's DART mission on a nearby asteroid.
Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson
Small Asteroid Spotted Hours Before Demise
The swift detection of a small asteroid, and recovery of its surviving fragments, shows we’re getting better at spotting incoming objects.
How Citizen Scientists Are Monitoring the DART Impact's Aftereffects
Observers around the globe are keeping an eye on the asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos to track the long-term effects of the DART mission's impact.
Astronomers Discover Unexpected Ring around Distant Dwarf Planet
There’s a strangely large-diameter ring around the outer solar system world Quaoar.
Lucy Mission Has a New Asteroid to Fly By
NASA’s Lucy mission now has a new first target of opportunity, a main-belt asteroid it will visit this November.
Understanding the Tails of Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3)
We explore Comet ZTF's remarkable trio of tails and share the latest news and photos.