Earth

Earth, our home planet, is the 3rd planet from the sun.

Related Topics: Mars, The Moon, Venus, We Don't Planet, Neptune 

Latest Updates

illustration of a rocket with a dollar sign blasting off towards the moon

Tax Day in space: How do astronauts pay taxes off Earth?

By Elizabeth Howell published

Reference Paying taxes in space is a necessity, no matter where you happen to be visiting. This is what U.S. astronauts and other space fliers can expect.

a sign that says 'the great texas coastal birding trail' stands in front of spacex hardware and pieces of spacex starship, all far in the background

SpaceX Starship launch could harm South Texas birds, advocacy group says

By Elizabeth Howell published

SpaceX is set to launch its Starship spacecraft from a coastal town in Texas, but an environmental advocacy group says Florida would be the better choice.

light pollution from a large city can be seen in the night sky

International Dark Sky Week 2023 begins today to combat the light pollution crisis

By Robert Lea published

International Dark Sky Week 2023 runs from Saturday, April 15 and Saturday, April 22 to ensure that policymakers aren’t in the dark about the problem of light pollution and its effects.

Our blue planet: Three-quarters of Earth's surface is covered by water.

No asteroid impacts needed: Newborn Earth made its own water, study suggests

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Contrary to a popular theory that icy comets or asteroids delivered water to a dry newborn Earth, the planet itself may have produced its earliest water supply, a new study suggests.

An artist's illustration of asteroid Apophis near Earth. The asteroid will fly extremely close to Earth in 2029, and then again in 2036, but poses no threat of hitting the planet either time.

NASA wants fleet of spacecraft to watch infamous Apophis asteroid approach Earth: report

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Apophis asteroid, recently cleared of imminent wrongdoing to Earth, already has one spacecraft visitor expected. NASA wants industry to send more.

Sequence of total solar eclipse shows the sun disappearing behind the advancing moon and then remerging again.

What time is the rare hybrid solar eclipse on April 20?

By Stefanie Waldek published

On April 20, 2023, there will be a rare hybrid solar eclipse. Though you won't be able to see the eclipse from North America, you can still tune in to live streams.

pieces of a satellite floating above earth in an illustration

Space debris problem spurs a bold change in US government regulations

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Federal Communications Commission will create a new Space Bureau to work with regulations regarding space debris, space safety and other low Earth orbit needs.

The newfound space rock 2023 FW13 has an orbit that keeps it as a constant companion of Earth, like that of 2016 HO3, which is shown here.

Earth has a new 'quasi-moon' after discovery of newfound asteroid 2023 FW13

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

A newfound asteroid called 2023 FW13 has been Earth's companion for centuries, astronomers say.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's EOS-06 satellite captured stunning new views of Earth's continents and oceans, showcasing our planet's biodiversity.

Look at this awesome photo of Earth from an Indian ocean satellite

By Samantha Mathewson published

A new false-color mosaic made from images snapped by an Indian ocean-studying satellite captures Earth's continents and seas in stunning detail from space.

an image of the Shiveluch volcano as seen from the International Space Station in 2007

Satellites watch Russian volcano erupt and blanket villages in ash

By Brett Tingley published

Satellites around the globe watched one of Russia's most active volcanoes erupt on Tuesday (April 11), covering villages in ash.

an illustration of an ice-covered Earth as seen from space

'Snowball Earth' may have been more of a 'slushball,' providing a refuge for early life

By Robert Lea published

An extreme ice age that left the planet in a state called "Snowball Earth" around 650 million years ago may have actually allowed some liquid oceans to survive and harbor life.

A red ring of light appears to hang above an Italian town.

Eerie ring of red light flashes like a massive UFO above Italy. What was it?

By Harry Baker published

An enormous halo of red light flashed in the night sky above Italy before disappearing within milliseconds. It was likely caused by an electromagnetic pulse from a nearby thunderstorm.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Intelsat 40e satellite and TEMPO Earth-observation instrument lifts off from ape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on April 7, 2023.

SpaceX launches Intelsat satellite with NASA Earth-observation experiment, lands rocket

By Andrew Jones last updated

SpaceX launched a commercial Intelsat satellite with a NASA Earth science instrument onboard early Friday (April 7) and landed the returning rocket on a ship at sea.

An illustration of an asteroid striking Earth.

This is what would happen if scientists found an asteroid heading to Earth

By Robert Lea published

To illustrate the importance of planetary defense NASA scientists have devised an exercise that shows the potential devastation that could be caused by a hypothetical asteroid strike.

a red moon backdropped by black night

Medieval lunar eclipse observations show how volcanoes affect Earth's climate

By Charles Q. Choi published

Medieval tomes that recorded how the moon changed color during lunar eclipses could help reveal vital clues about the volcanic eruptions that may have triggered the Little Ice Age in Europe.

A close-up of the red light streaking across the night sky.

Rare blood-red arc of light shines in the Scandinavian sky. What is it?

By Harry Baker published

A river of hazy red light stretched across the night sky over Denmark after the most powerful solar storm to hit Earth for six years slammed into our planet. The rare phenomenon is not an aurora.

On Feb. 21, Antarctica's sea ice retreated to its lowest extent since satellite records began in 1979.

Antarctica's sea ice reaches its lowest level since records began, for the 2nd year in a row

By Harry Baker published

Antarctica's sea ice recently shrank to its lowest extent since satellite records began more than 40 years ago.

about eight meteors streaking in the sky in an illustration, with purple tails

Artificial shooting star project gets 2nd life through crowdfunding

By Elizabeth Howell published

There's no firm release date for when ALE plans to generate its first artificial meteor shower, which it previously pledged to begin in 2023.

a satellite photo of devastation left in the wake of a powerful tornado

Devastation from deadly Mississippi tornado spotted from space (satellite photos)

By Elizabeth Howell published

At least 25 people are dead across the state after a deadly tornado on Sunday (March 26).

Buoyancy waves often leave "ripples" in clouds like those seen over the Pacific Ocean in this image from NASA’s Terra satellite captured on Oct. 4, 2020.

NASA rockets search for hurricane-like swirls at the edge of space

By Robert Lea published

A pioneering new experiment uses rockets to study hurricane-like swirls near where Earth's atmosphere meets space.