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An artist's depiction of an asteroid collision in outer space.

Asteroid Dust Triggered an Explosion of Life on Earth 466 Million Years Ago

By Meghan Bartels

Consider the possibility that an asteroid may have transformed the picture of life on Earth — but forget the dinosaurs and the massive crater, and rewind an extra 400 million years.

Kristen John, principal investigator of the Hermes mission, with two pieces of the system.

Hermes Regolith Experiment in Space Takes Aim at Moon Dirt and Asteroid Landings

By Meghan Bartels

By 2024, NASA plans to land the next two people on the moon, including the first woman who will ever walk on the lunar surface.

On Sept. 2, the Indian Space Research Organisation's Chandrayaan-2 moon orbiter successfully released its Vikram lander, as seen in this illustrated depiction. But Vikram's landing attempt on Sept. 6 did not go as planned; mission control lost contact with Vikram just before touchdown, and the lander has been silent ever since.

NASA Moon Orbiter Fails to Spot India’s Lunar Lander: Report

By Leonard David

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has reportedly failed to spot India’s Chandrayaan-2 lunar lander, which apparently crashed during its Sept. 6 touchdown attempt.

A brilliant aurora appears to rise like a glowing, green smoke plume from Concordia research station in Antarctica in this photo by European Space Agency (ESA) photographer Alessandro Mancini.

Pictures from Space! Our Image of the Day

By SPACE.com Staff

A brilliant aurora appears to rise like a glowing, green smoke plume from Concordia research station in Antarctica in this photo by European Space Agency photographer Alessandro Mancini.

SOFIA, an airborne observatory run by a joint program between NASA and Germany's space program, DLR, is seen here in Palmdale, California, before its flight to Germany in September 2019

NASA's Airborne Observatory SOFIA Takes Flight Over Europe Today

By Doris Elin Urrutia

Today (Sept. 18) a unique airborne space observatory will perform its first scientific flight over Europe.

The plumes of the Saturn moon Enceladus, captured spewing from the moon's surface by NASA's Cassini spacecraft from a distance of 9,000 miles (14,000 kilometers) in 2010. One new study suggests that Enceladus' geysers act like a "snow-cannon" and makes Saturn's inner moons more reflective.

'Snow-Cannon' on Enceladus May Make Other Moons Shine

By Chelsea Gohd

A new study suggests that Enceladus' geysers act as a 'snow-cannon,' making nearby moons snowy and reflective.

gravitational waves from two merging black holes.

Stephen Hawking Was Wrong. Black Holes Are Bald.

By Rafi Letzter

This image, captured by NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft, shows a plume rising from Loki Patera, the largest volcano on the Jupiter moon Io.

It's Gonna Blow! Giant Volcano on Jupiter Moon Could Erupt Any Day

By Mike Wall

A giant volcano on the Jupiter moon Io should erupt any day now, a new study suggests.

A view of Io's shadow on the surface of Jupiter captured by NASA's Juno probe.

NASA's Juno Mission Checks Out Eclipse on Jupiter

By Meghan Bartels

Don't panic, this isn't a massive hole on Jupiter. All is well on our largest neighbor; NASA's Juno spacecraft just managed to spot the shadow of its moon Io passing over its marbled clouds.

In an artist's concept, the Indian lander Vikram nears the lunar surface.

Why Is It So Hard to Land on the Moon?

By Adam Mann

Despite the fact that humans landed on the moon many times during the Apollo missions half a century ago, doing so remains a tough business.

Image of Jupiter processed from images obtained by Ethan Chappel shortly after the impact. An image of the flash produced by the impact has been included at its right location over the color image.

Astronomers Get the Goods on Jupiter-Smacking Space Rock

By Mike Wall

The space rock that whacked Jupiter last month has lost its air of mystery.

The VISTA telescope from the European Southern Observatory captured this new, "unprecedented" look at the nearby dwarf galaxy known as the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Large Magellanic Cloud Shines in 'Unprecedented' New Telescope Imagery

By Doris Elin Urrutia

Beyond the border of our Milky Way lies a fascinating satellite galaxy that takes center stage in new imagery.

Sand dunes ripple near Mars' north pole in this image captured by the European/Russian Trace Gas Orbiter. The photo was taken on May 25, 2019, and released on Sept. 16.

Sand Dunes Snake Near Mars' North Pole (Photo)

By Mike Wall

Rippling, dark-flecked sand dunes near Mars' north pole look like melting chocolate-chip ice cream in an image captured by the European-Russian Trace Gas Orbiter.

An artist's depiction of the Chandrayaan-2 lander, Vikram, preparing to alight on the lunar surface. The procedure occurred on Sept. 6, 2019, but apparently went wrong, with the Indian space agency losing contact with the lander late in the maneuver.

NASA Probe to Fly Over India's Moon-Landing Site Tuesday

By Mike Wall

We could learn more about the fate of India's first moon lander soon.

This illustration shows how the pulse from the massive neutron star J0740+6620 was delayed by a white dwarf star passing in between the neutron star and Earth.

Astronomers Detect the Most Massive Neutron Star Yet

By Charles Q. Choi

Astronomers have discovered the most massive example yet of the dead stars known as neutron stars, one almost too massive to exist, a new study finds.

Observations of what scientists believe to be the first interstellar comet ever identified.

First Glimpses of Interstellar Comet Suggest It's Not So Different

By Meghan Bartels

Astronomers are rushing to study what appears to be the first known interstellar comet — and in some of the very earliest observations, it looks oddly familiar.

The rings of Saturn take center stage in this portrait by the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 taken on June 20, 2019.

Saturn's Rings May Be Ancient After All

By Mike Wall

The great Saturn ring debate is far from settled, a new study suggests.

This photo, taken by a Planet Dove satellite, shows a vast plume of smoke from oil processing facilities in Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia after a drone strike claimed by Yemeni Houthi rebels.

Satellite Photo Shows Aftermath of Drone Attack on Saudi Oil Facilities

By Tariq Malik

A Planet Earth-watching satellite has spotted a vast smoke plume from Saudi Arabian oil-processing facilities after a drone attack on Saturday (Sept. 14).

An artist's depiction of the early solar system. In the inset, small particles stick together to form larger particles.

Tiny Space-Rock Particles Could Hold Secrets to Early Solar System

By Meghan Bartels

Small chunks of mineral studding the interiors of space rocks could help scientists pinpoint when the solar system began to form.

A 30-second exposure of the newly identified comet captured by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in early September 2019.

Interstellar Comet: Here's Why It's Got Scientists So Pumped Up

By Meghan Bartels

Karen Meech wouldn't credit Comet C/2019 Q4 with good timing. But when faced with a chance to study the first known interstellar comet, by golly you take it.