Solar System

Our solar system is filled with planets, asteroids, comets, the sun and more, making it a wealth of discoveries waiting to be found. See the latest discoveries from across our solar system here. 

Explore the planets in our solar system: Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Related topics: asteroids, Pluto, the moon, comets

Latest Updates

Rocket lifting off and surrounded by plumes of exhaust

Can a private space mission pierce Venus's clouds?

By Leonard David published

Amid uncertainty over space agencies’ plans for future Venus exploration, enthusiasm for a private-sector mission grows.

illustration of spacecraft with two solar panels with stars and black space in behind

NASA's Psyche spacecraft just fired a laser 10 million miles away in deep space

By Rahul Rao published

The Psyche spacecraft just fired a laser on its way to a metal asteroiod, in a test that could help speed up science transmissions across the solar system.

a six-panel view of a comet showing it getting brighter and dimmer over time. the dates november 3, november 4, november 8, november 10, november 11 and november 12 are underneath the six panels

Volcanic 'Devil Comet' erupts with its biggest blast yet as it races toward Earth

By Robert Lea published

An icy volcanic comet that is three times as large as Mount Everest, nicknamed the "Devil Comet," erupted again Nov. 14. This is the fourth explosive event for 12P/Pons-Brooks since July 2023.

dual image showing saturn with a transiting moon on the left, and a grey planetary body on the right.

Evidence of alien life may exist in the fractures of icy moons around Jupiter and Saturn

By Robert Lea published

Researchers searching for evidence of extraterrestrial life are investigating the geological faults of Saturn’s largest icy moon, Titan, and Jupiter’s largest moon, Ganymede.

a person looks at the night sky through a telescope

The brightest planets in November's night sky: How to see them (and when)

By Joe Rao last updated

Reference The only planet that continues 'out of the loop' in November is Mars, which will remain out of sight, too near the vicinity of the sun to be seen right through the end of the year.

black and white image of an impact launching dust up from a grey surface

Moon rocks blasted off the lunar surface could become near-Earth asteroids

By Robert Lea published

The near-Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa was indeed ejected from the moon, a new study confirms, suggesting more lunar fragments dwell among near-Earth asteroids.

Telescopes at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory near La Serena, Chile.

Astronomers have learned lots about the universe − but how do they study astronomical objects too distant to visit?

By Luke Keller published

What astronomers can measure using telescopes is not what we really want to know – instead, we calculate the properties we're interested in studying by observing and interpreting apparent properties from afar.

An illustration of the Kuiper belt with brownish hues. In the foreground, a hypothetical 'Planet 9' is seen.

Evidence for 'Planet 9' may actually show our theory of gravity is incomplete

By Robert Lea published

Evidence pointing toward the possible existence of “Planet 9” lurking at the edge of the solar system may actually mean we need to revise our recipe for gravity.

an early solar system with a star at the center and the first planets forming in a disk around it

'Modest, humble, and uncommonly smart': How a Soviet mathematician quietly solved the mystery of planet formation

By Dan Levitt published

"For years, he had the field of planetary formation, which he had created, virtually to himself. Most Soviet colleagues were skeptical and uninterested; his research appeared so speculative, so far removed from any evidence."

image of pluto, showing a large heart-shaped feature on the dwarf planet's surface.

NASA extends New Horizons mission through late 2020s

By Mike Wall published

NASA will extend the New Horizons mission through 2028 or 2029, allowing the spacecraft to continue studying its exotic environs far from the sun.

a white, dimply rock with a dark grey exterior

How methane studies on Earth could inform the search for alien life in our solar system

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

A new class of proteins found in methane deposits on Earth's seafloor could help inform the search for alien life.

the full moon rises above a lighthouse

Last supermoon of 2023 rises tonight. Don't miss the Harvest Moon shine with 3 bright planets

By Robert Lea last updated

This year's final supermoon, September's Harvest Full Moon, rises on Friday, Sept. 29, bringing a summer of supermoons to a close and joined by a planetary parade of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury.

a diagram of a space capsule parachuting to Earth

Watch NASA's OSIRIS-REx's asteroid sample-return capsule land on Earth in this free livestream on Sept. 24

By Elizabeth Howell published

The return capsule of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission is scheduled to touch down in Utah on Sept. 24, bearing samples of asteroid Bennu. Here's how to watch the event live.

An enhanced view of Neptune's largest moon, Triton.

Why is Neptune's moon Triton so weird?

By Paul Sutter published

The outer solar system contains a striking crime scene with a big mystery: How did Neptune get a moon like Triton?

a red-hued planet is shaded into a crescent against a purple and black backdrop of space.

Could an 'Earth-like' planet be hiding in our solar system's outer reaches?

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

A hypothetical Kuiper Belt Planet adds to the list of possibly undiscovered worlds in our solar system. Also on that list? Planet Nine.

Venus as a razor-thin crescent as it nears inferior conjunction with the sun.

Why Venus is now a slim crescent and will disappear from the evening sky this weekend

By Jamie Carter published

Venus is approaching 'inferior conjunction' as it swaps from being the 'Evening Star' to the 'Morning Star,' passing between Earth and the sun in the meantime.

A book leans against a tree against the background of a house in the distance and a dark grassy yard. The night sky is filled with the streaks of stars, traced through the sky through long exposure photos.

New book 'Stargazing: Contemplating the Cosmos to Find Inner Peace' teaches meditation to bring stargazing down to Earth

By Josh Dinner published

Swapna Krishna, author of the new book "Stargazing: Contemplating the Cosmos to Find Inner Peace," writes a guide to getting the most out of the night sky wherever you are.

green comet visible against a backdrop of stars

Watch 1 month in the life of a green comet during its journey past Earth (video)

By Miguel Claro published

Comet C/2022 E3 made a close pass by our planet in January, and a new video captures its incredible journey in 4K resolution.

close-up of dust on the moon's surface with a bootprint visible at right

Missions to the moon: Past, present and future

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

Reference More than 140 missions have launched to the moon. Here we explore some of the most notable missions and take a look at what the future holds.

a flat rock backlit by the distant sun

Where did the interstellar object 'Oumuamua come from? Its speed could tell us

By Keith Cooper published

The velocity of interstellar objects passing through our solar system, like 'Oumuamua, can be correlated to their chemistry and the type of star they came from.