During a close Mars flyby, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft tested its radar system, REASON, for…
Browsing: Planets
Planets are celestial bodies that orbit stars, formed from the gas and dust of young solar systems. They come in a wide variety—from rocky worlds like Earth and Mars to gas giants like Jupiter and ice giants like Neptune. Studying planets helps scientists understand how solar systems form and evolve, including the conditions that might support life. This field includes both planets in our own solar system and exoplanets, planets orbiting stars beyond the Sun, discovered by powerful telescopes and space missions. This page features the latest research and discoveries about planets, their atmospheres, surfaces, and potential habitability.
Uranus isn’t as cold as it seems — scientists found it’s still leaking ancient heat.…
Astronomers may have captured the rare moment of a planet forming around a young star,…
Exciting new findings reveal that WASP-121b, a blazing-hot giant planet, may have formed far from…
Astronomers have discovered a mysterious object far beyond Neptune that orbits the Sun once for…
A mysterious icy object discovered far beyond Pluto is rewriting what we thought we knew…
In a cosmic breakthrough, scientists using the James Webb and ALMA telescopes have caught a…
A seemingly quiet star just gave up one of the universe’s best-kept secrets: a massive…
In a dramatic new discovery, scientists have identified over 15,000 kilometers of ancient riverbeds on…
NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has learned to pull off daring 120-degree rolls that give its…
Curiosity stitched 291 Mastcam photos into a color-balanced 360° panorama of Gale Crater’s “boxwork” ridges—spiderweb-like…
Sharper views of 78 infant-star disks in the Ophiuchus cloud reveal crisp rings and spirals—gravitational…
NASA’s Perseverance rover recently battled a difficult Mars rock nicknamed “Kenmore.” Using powerful tools like…
NASA’s Curiosity has uncovered a vast lattice of mineral “boxwork” ridges on Mount Sharp, evidence…
Pluto’s haze is real, its atmosphere is wild, and its moon is stealing its breath—literally.…
First Image Ever Taken of Exoplanet in Extremely Misaligned System NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope…
Mars, once rich with flowing water, is back in the spotlight thanks to new advances…
A tiny star just one-fifth the mass of our Sun has shocked astronomers by hosting…