Solar System
14 reportsPlanet formation and small bodies support the strongest interpretation available. The account remains focused on which formation questions remain open and what meteorites reveal, showing how sparse measurements or incomplete records limit certainty.
Pluto's Atmosphere Shows Signs of Collapse as It Moves Away from the Sun
Astronomers tracking Pluto's atmosphere with stellar occultation techniques report a measurable drop in atmospheric pressure, suggesting the dwarf planet's nitrogen-rich envelope is beginning to freeze out as Pluto recedes from the Sun
What to Expect During the Five Stages of the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse
On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will cross parts of Europe and the Arctic, offering a rare opportunity to observe the Sun's atmosphere and dynamic eclipse phenomena as the Moon's shadow sweeps across Earth's surface
Crescent Moon and Mars Align Over Taurus Before Dawn on August 9
Observers in the Northern Hemisphere will see the crescent Moon pass close to Mars in the constellation Taurus before sunrise on August 9, offering a preview of the winter starscape and a rare opportunity for binocular viewing.
NASA's Juno Mission Transformed Jupiter Science After 2011 Launch
NASA's Juno spacecraft, launched in 2011 on an Atlas V rocket, reached Jupiter in 2016 and has since delivered unprecedented data and images, reshaping our understanding of the giant planet's atmosphere, magnetic field, and moons
Neptune's Inner Moons May Preserve Debris From Ancient Ice Worlds
Infrared observations from the James Webb Space Telescope reveal unexpected clay minerals on two small Neptunian moons, supporting a debris-origin scenario while leaving the fate of their original ice unresolved
Aug. 12, 2026, brings an unusually complete night of skywatching
On Aug. 12, 2026, observers can follow a solar eclipse by day, then watch Venus, the Perseid meteor shower and the Milky Way under a nearly moonless sky
Mercury and Jupiter Meet as Venus Rules August Skies
Venus reaches its widest evening separation from the Sun on Aug. 15, while Mercury and Jupiter pass within 0.6 degrees before dawn in a difficult but rewarding conjunction
Triple-Lobed Asteroid 44 Nysa Imaged With Orbiting Moon in Asteroid Belt
Astronomers have resolved asteroid 44 Nysa as the first known triple-lobed body in the main belt, using adaptive optics on major ground-based telescopes. The object also hosts a small moon, raising new questions about asteroid formation and evolution.
Galileo's 1610 Observation of Saturn's Rings Changed Planetary Science
In July 1610, Galileo Galilei used a newly invented telescope to observe Saturn, recording features that would later be identified as the planet's rings-a finding that reshaped our understanding of planetary systems
New Horizons Resumes Science at Solar System's Edge After Hibernation
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has exited a 321-day hibernation and is now transmitting data from the outer solar system, preparing to study the boundary between the Sun's influence and interstellar space with advanced instruments
Juno Mission Probes Subsurface Heat on Jupiter's Volcanic Moon Io
NASA's Juno spacecraft has measured temperatures beneath Io's surface, revealing intense internal heating and unexpectedly smooth, low-density terrain. The findings, published in a peer-reviewed journal, offer new insight into tidal heating on active moons
How Perseid Meteors Trace a Journey from Comet to Night Sky
The Perseid meteor shower offers a glimpse into the solar system's ancient debris, as fragments from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle enter Earth's atmosphere and produce visible streaks of light each August
James Webb Telescope Detects Unidentified Infrared Signal on Titan and Pluto
The James Webb Space Telescope has recorded a mysterious infrared absorption feature on both Saturn's moon Titan and the dwarf planet Pluto, hinting at shared surface chemistry despite their contrasting environments
How the Heliosphere Shields the Solar System from Interstellar Space
Researchers are mapping the heliosphere, the vast bubble created by the solar wind that surrounds the Sun and planets, to understand how it protects the solar system from cosmic radiation and shapes planetary environments