Why are Charon's poles dusted with reddish material?
Space & Planets
Posted inNews
A Flip-Flopping Climate Could Explain Mars's Watery Past
A new hypothesis might reconcile two opposing theories that have tried to explain Mars's mysterious history for more than 40 years.
Posted inNews
Scientists Get First Glimpse of Solar Wind as It Forms
Using computer-processed images from Sun-watching satellites, scientists observed solar wind emerging from the Sun's corona.
Posted inNews
Delayed Launch Approved for Next Mars Mission
NASA has set a new 2018 launch date for a spacecraft to probe the Red Planet's interior, after instrument failure hobbled preparations for the mission.
Posted inNews
New Findings Suggest Dwarf Planet Ceres Is Geologically Active
Cryovolcanoes, landslides, and water ice all point to current activity, researchers found.
Posted inEditors' Vox
Elevating Planetary Science in Africa
Although planetary sciences may be perceived as long-term fundamental research with little direct and immediate benefit for populations, expanding planetary science programs can have many benefits
Posted inNews
Juno Makes Closest Ever Orbit of Jupiter
NASA plans to release more pictures soon, including views of the planet's atmosphere and its north and south poles, all in unprecedented detail.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Do Gullies Form on Mars?
New orbiter data support an important role for seasonal frost—not liquid water—in the formation of Martian gullies.
Posted inNews
Closest Ever Terrestrial Exoplanet Found, Habitability Debated
Researchers are excited about a new, potentially habitable exoplanet orbiting our closest stellar neighbor, Proxima Centauri.
Posted inNews
Urban Micrometeorites No Longer a Myth
After sifting through urban debris for 6 years, one scientist unearthed cosmic dust—confirming a long-held myth about urban micrometeorites.