Solar System

Latest about Solar System

Astronomers keep finding new moons of Jupiter and Saturn

By Keith Cooper published

Astronomers have found four new moons orbiting Jupiter and 11 new moons around Saturn.

Saturn
three fuzzy blue splotches of light on a black background, all appearing to leave fuzzy streaks behind them as they travel from top left to bottom right

Hubble Space Telescope accidentally witnesses comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) breaking apart

By Samantha Mathewson published

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a rare cosmic moment: a comet breaking apart in real time.

Comets

What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2026

By Tariq Malik, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference See what moon phase it is tonight and find out when you can see the rest of the moon phases for 2026.

Reference
four images of tiny pebbles; two are photographs showing a grey mottled surface, the other two are see-through images showing green flaky textures inside the silhouettes of the pebbles

NASA peers inside an asteroid | Space photo of the day for March 19, 2026

By Brett Tingley published

NASA has used advanced imaging techniques to peer inside samples of asteroid Bennu, discovering extensive networks of cracks running throughout the rock particles.

Asteroids
The asteroid Ryugu, a sample collected from it and the five nucleobases of DNA and RNA

Ryugu asteroid sample contains all five key components of DNA, scientists find

By Robert Lea published

A sample collected by the Hayabusa 2 spacecraft from the spinning top-like asteroid contained the nucleobases adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil.

Asteroids
a line of light brown wispy dust races across the ground in a satellite view

Satellite watches wall of dust roll through Texas | Space photo of the day for March 17, 2026

By Brett Tingley published

The dust storm created travel complications and other issues for Texans.

Earth
Venera-D mission concept art

Russia aims to reclaim Soviet space glory with 2036 launch of ambitious Venus mission

By Elizabeth Howell published

Russia plans to launch the Venera-D mission to Venus in 2036, continuing the Soviet Union's legacy of exploring there in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Venus
clouds float above a green landscape, in the center of which is a tall cone-shaped mountain with a bright red circle at its peak

Satellite spies an erupting volcano | Space photo of the day for March 13, 2026

By Brett Tingley published

A new NASA satellite image has captured a rare view of an erupting volcano, revealing its bright red lava flow as seen from space.

Earth
a man in a blue suit behind a microphone in a wood paneled room

US lawmakers call for a permanent moon base. Will it ever happen?

By Leonard David published

The impetus for establishing a "Lunar Surface Moon Base" is that America is in a space race with China.

The moon
An artist's impression of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, with methanol (blue) flowing from both its nucleus and icy grains in the coma, while hydrogen cyanide (orange) is released mainly from the nucleus.

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is 'bursting with methanol,' new study finds

By Samantha Mathewson published

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is unusually rich in alcohol — a chemical clue that could reveal how planets and icy bodies form around other stars.

Comets
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