Solar System
The Earth's solar system, including the sun, moon, planets and satellites
An Asteroid Will Skim Right By the Earth on Friday Afternoon
The 147-foot-wide rock will pass a scant 17,200 miles from Earth's surface, under the orbits of some telecom satellites
February 12, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Building Blocks of Life May Have Come From Outer Space
Did meteorites seed Earth the building blocks of life?
February 2013 |
By Ker Than
Watch Jupiter “Kiss” the Moon Tonight
Tonight, night sky watchers in the Northern Hemisphere can see Jupiter pass less than a finger's width away from the waxing Moon
January 21, 2013 |
By Mohi Kumar
A 2.1 Billion-Year-Old Meteorite Reveals Water on Mars
Chemical analysis shows that the meteorite, discovered in Morocco, contains ten times as much water as any Martian rock previously studied
January 03, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Does Deep Space Travel Cause Alzheimer’s?
A new study indicates that the levels of radiation astronauts would experience over the course of a deep space mission could lead to dementia
December 31, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Space Exploration and the End of an Era: Notable Deaths in 2012
Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, Roger Boisjoly and the shuttle program form this year's late greats of space exploration
December 28, 2012 |
By Mohi Kumar
5 Science Stories to Watch in 2013
The new year could feature discoveries of life within subglacial Antarctic lakes, the brightest comet in generations and more
December 28, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Using Only a Camera, Trace the Solar Analemma and Plot the Solstice
When viewed at the same time every day for a year, the Sun traces a pattern in the sky that can help you find out when a solstice occurs
December 21, 2012 |
By Mohi Kumar
Mythical Particles, Goldilocks Planets and More: Top 5 Surprising Scientific Milestones of 2012
From the Higgs Boson to the Curiosity rover, 2012 was a major year for science
December 14, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
In Space, Flames Behave in Ways Nobody Thought Possible
Combustion experiments conducted in zero gravity yield surprising results
December 2012 |
By Ker Than
Astronomers Discover the Most Explosive Black Hole Yet
The newly discovered quasar spews an amount of energy equivalent to more than two million suns
November 28, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
A Wandering “Homeless” Planet is Spotted in Deep Space
Astronomers have spotted an object roughly 100 light-years away that appears to be a planet not associated with any star
November 16, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Newly Discovered Earth-like Planet Could be Habitable
44 light years away, scientists have detected a planet that might be the right temperature to hold liquid water, a precondition for life
November 08, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Sun’s Swirling Green Gases of Wonder
Unprecedented images from space capture the Sun’s true beauty
November 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Recapping ‘The Jetsons’: Episode 06 – The Good Little Scouts
A camping trip to the moon might seem fanciful, but 1960s advertisers were already promoting space tourism
October 29, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
The Orionid Meteor Shower Will Light Up the Skies This Weekend
Debris shed by the legendary Halley's comet could make for an impressive meteor show
October 19, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Sex and Space Travel: Predictions from the 1950s
The cure for lonely space missions? One astronomer proposed hiring astronaut concubines
October 18, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
How the Moon Was Made
A new type of evidence found in lunar rocks indicates that an enormous collision between a young Earth and a Mars-sized object formed the moon
October 17, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
A New Great Depression and Ladies on the Moon: 1970s Middle School Kids Look to the Year 2000
The ideal future according to a ten-year-old: shorter school days, lower taxes, and lots and lots of robots
October 12, 2012 |
By Matt Novak
Newly Discovered Comet, Headed Toward Earth, Could Shine as Bright as the Moon
Comet C/2012 S1(ISON) could become the brightest comet anyone alive has ever seen
September 28, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg

