The presence of ammonia-rich clay on much of the surface of Ceres suggests that this dwarf planet—the largest object in the asteroid belt—may have formed far out in the solar system, then wandered in.
Space & Planets
Posted inNews
Pluto: In the Icebox but Maybe Still Cookin'
New evidence of ice volcanoes and of middle-aged terrains on Pluto's surface suggests that the dwarf planet has remained geologically active ever since it first formed billions of years ago.
Posted inNews
New Spin on Pluto's Moons
Strangely speedy rotation rates of Pluto's tiny orbiting companions show up in a trove of images taken as the New Horizons spacecraft approached the dwarf planet last spring and early summer.
Posted inEditors' Vox
First Results from the MAVEN Mission to Mars
Geophysical Research Letters publishes First Results from the MAVEN Mission to Mars, demonstrating a remarkable achievement of NASA's MAVEN team and the broader scientific community.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Pluto Is Just the Beginning
Pluto is the most distant object visited by a spacecraft, yet exploration of the Solar System is far from complete.
Posted inNews
Cassini Probe Dives Through Enceladus Plume
NASA's Cassini probe takes a trip through a cosmic sprinkler to learn more about a subsurface ocean.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Clues to Mysterious Hiss in Earth's Plasmasphere
An analysis of the electromagnetic "hiss" that surrounds Earth reveals it's not just static; there's a signal hidden within, which may help scientists uncover its source.
Posted inNews
NASA Selects Launch Vehicles for Small Satellites
Miniature satellites offer new opportunities for science, commerce, and education. With new launch vehicles, these satellites will fly as primary payloads rather than hitchhiking on bigger missions.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Subsurface Craters Expose the Moon's Dramatic Past
Scientists use the gravity signature of the lunar surface to trace the history of impact cratering and its role in the Moon's evolution.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Cracks on Comets Most Likely Caused by Thermal Stress
Networks of cracks in the surface of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko may have originated from rapid heating and cooling of the comet's surface.