This rainbow-like atmospheric phenomenon depends on a very specific set of circumstances. It is common on Earth and incredibly rare beyond it.
planets
Passing Stars Shorten Earth’s Time Horizon
Stars in the solar neighborhood could jostle planetary orbits, making it harder to turn back the clock and examine Earth’s orbital or climate history.
Iron Snow Ebb and Flow May Cause Magnetic Fields to Come and Go
Lab experiments find that iron crystals in planetary cores may form in bursts, causing periodic dynamos.
Lightning Struck Down as Source of a Venus Whistler
Whistlers were a key piece of evidence in favor of Venusian lightning. New measurements question the connection.
La Luna es incluso más antigua de lo que los científicos pensaban
¿Cómo se formó la Luna y cuántos años tiene? La datación más precisa hasta el momento del satélite más grande de la Tierra determinó que es mucho más antigua de lo que se pensaba previamente.
The Moon Is Even Older Than Scientists Thought
How did the Moon form and how old is it? The most precise dating yet of Earth’s largest satellite found that it is much older than previously thought.
Five Martian Mysteries That Have Scientists Scratching Their Heads
Despite centuries of study and many spacecraft visits, the Red Planet still holds secrets. Here are just a few.
Rogues’ Gallery Comes in Pairs
A new trove of free-floating planets, smaller and paired up more than expected, challenges stellar and planet formation models.
La canción de hielo y fuego del criovulcanismo
Las lunas oceánicas del sistema solar exterior nos dan pistas sobre volcanes de hielo, fuentes hidrotermales, y la tentadora posibilidad de habitabilidad.
Getting Psyched Up for an Asteroid Mission
The first mission to a metallic asteroid, scheduled for launch on 5 October, could provide clues to the formation of Earth and the solar system’s other inner planets.