Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

Wow! But also, yikes!

Photos and news from space to inspire, amaze, and even scare you a little.

Volcanoes are so hot right now

From Mars to Io, volcanoes top the list of hottest things in space right now — both literally and figuratively.

Scratching the surface

The latest news on missions to search for ice and water beneath planetary surfaces.

A sight to remember

For hundreds of millions of people, the Sun and Moon put on an astonishing show this week. Here are our eclipse highlights and more.

Space: See it, hear it, feel it, predict it

From spotting comets to hearing eclipses and predicting solar emissions, there are many ways to experience space phenomena.

Keeping an eye on things

Measuring changes in the Moon’s size, watching for eruptions on the Sun’s surface, and monitoring budget developments.

Hidden depths and a cosmic mystery

Jupiter has much more going on beneath its outer clouds, and NASA invites players to unravel a fictional mystery.

Transits are cool, but…

A moon transiting the Sun is awesome, but still doesn’t quite compare to a total solar eclipse. Learn why, find out about Europa Clipper’s message in a bottle, and more.

Science to satisfy curiosity

The Curiosity rover is climbing a mountain to gain knowledge. Bringing back Mars samples will gain us even more.

Lunar success stories

The Odysseus spacecraft marks the return of U.S. landers to the Moon. JAXA wants you to help name an asteroid. And we’re speaking up for your place in space.

A ridge over hidden water

Ridges on Mars and Europa hint at past and present water. Distant dwarf planets are unexpectedly warm. And we’re working hard to help find life.

Far from predictable

Some things, like solar cycles, are hard to predict. Others, like Zoozve taking the world by storm, are even more unpredictable.

Cool and mysterious

A cool moon, a mysterious planet, and a potentially hazardous asteroid feature in this week’s space news roundup.

Go fetch!

A rover collects samples, future Mars Sample Return missions will retrieve them, and perhaps a robotic dog will play fetch somewhere along the way.

Colorful faults and false colors

We might not know what color the planets really are, but we know a whole lot of other fascinating things about them.

Twice as nice

Sometimes the Solar System offers up a planetary pair for our viewing enjoyment. Japan has a pair of missions in the news. And the Sun and Moon will pair up to create an eclipse in just 12 weeks.