How are Mars Rocks Getting “Shocked” by Meteorite Impacts?
A new NASA study shows how samples obtained by Perseverance could have been shaped by asteroid impacts when Mars was…
“The Universe Breakers”: Six Galaxies That are Too Big, Too Early
In the first data taken last summer with the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the new James Webb Space Telescope,…
Clouds of Carbon Dust Seen When the Universe was Less Than a Billion Years Old
A new study shows that carbonaeous dust grains existed much earlier than previously thought, which has significant implications for galactic…
Dust Storms on Mars Generate Static Electricity. What Does This Do to Its Surface?
A new study shows how electrical discharges caused by Martian storms drives some major chemical processes on the planet's surface.
Can a Venus Lander Survive Longer Than a Few Minutes?
Sending a lander to Venus presents several huge engineering problems. Granted, we’d get a break from the nail-biting entry, descent…
Astronomers Find a Group of Water-rich Asteroids
If you've ever been at sea or visited a seacoast, you probably looked out at the vast expanse of ocean…
Cosmic Conjunction: Jupiter Meets Venus on March 1st
The two brightest planets pass less than half a degree apart at dusk on the night of March 1st.
Meteorites are Contaminated Quickly When They Reach Earth
On Earth, geologists study rocks to help better understand the history of our planet. In contrast, planetary geologists study meteorites…
A 500-Meter-Long Asteroid Flew Past Earth, and Astronomers Were Watching
An asteroid the size of the Empire State Building flew past Earth in early February, coming within 1.8 million km…
All of Jupiter's Large Moons Have Auroras
New observations have revealed that all four of Jupiter's largest moons have aurorae, and they are spectacular!