Frost has been detected on Olympus Mons, the highest volcano not only on Mars but in the entire solar system.
ESA/DLR/FU Berlin
Studying the water cycle on Mars is essential for assessing its potential habitability, and a new study reveals that significant quantities are present as transient frost on mountain peaks.
An artist’s depiction of the heliosphere, the Sun’s region of influence in space. Little is known of the actual shape of the heliosphere.
NASA
An interstellar probe could help scientists answer fundamental questions about how the Sun influences Earth, space and other planets in the solar system.
An artist’s illustration of hydrogen disappearing from Venus.
Aurore Simonnet/ Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics/ University of Colorado Boulder
Studying Venus’ water loss can help scientists better understand how planets go from potentially habitable to incapable of supporting life.
Bruno Scramgnon/Pexels
China’s Change'6 is going to explore the Moon’s far side and bring back precious lunar soil for scientists to study.
A bright Eta Aquariid meteor photobombed this photo of comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) in May 2020.
Jonti Horner
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks each year in early May, but this year it should be particularly good, thanks to dark skies and extra activity.
Pons–Brooks visible from Utah, March 9 2024.
James Peirce/Flickr
If you look carefully at the night sky, you may spot this fuzzy visitor with the naked eye – but binoculars will help.
Buradaki / Shutterstock
Textbooks often show Earth’s orbit around the Sun as an almost egg-shaped ellipse. The real story is very different.
The Cosmic Cliffs region of the universe is considered to be a hotbed of new star formation.
(NASA/James Webb Space Telescope)
Analysis of fragments of the first solids that emerged out of the birth of the sun date our supernova as being 4.6 billion years old.
Earth’s North Sea coastline, including the Stacks of Duncansby in Caithness.
David Rothery
The Solar System could be awash with oceans, not on the surface but hidden inside the most surprising bodies
Intouchable / Openverse
The largest study yet of ‘twin stars’ shows planetary orbits may be less stable than we thought.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/USGS
Mars has been a popular destination since space exploration began – and there are plenty of people who’d love to go there.
Nearby planets can affect how one planet ‘wobbles’ on its spin axis, which contributes to seasons.
Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library via Getty Images
You might hate winter, but at least you know what to expect every year. Other planets have wobbly axes that lead to wild, unpredictable seasons.
This is how we are used to seeing Uranus and Neptune, respectively. But the colours aren’t accurate.
NASA/ JPL/ PlanetS
It turns out Uranus actually changes colour throughout the year.
NASA
A Japanese spacecraft is expected to reach Martian orbit in 2025 to collect material from the surface of the moon Phobos before returning to Earth by 2029.
NASA
Sixty years ago, philosopher Hannah Arendt argued an interplanetary perspective may be bad news for humanity as we know it.
Uranus is the coldest planet in the solar system.
NASA/JPL
Five of the Uranus moons might be ocean worlds − and if there’s water, there might be life.
The pieces of Libyan desert glass that formed the basis of the study.
Libyan desert glass originated from the impact of a meteorite on the Earth’s surface.
Artist’s impression of Theia colliding with the Earth billions of years ago.
Hernán Cañellas
The Moon was formed when it collided with Earth billions of years ago.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Viral headlines would have you think Saturn’s rings will vanish in just 18 months. Here’s what that really means and why you don’t need to worry.
Mining an asteroid probably won’t look exactly like mining does on Earth, but some principles will stay the same.
posteriori/iStock via Getty Images
Upcoming NASA missions will help scientists understand the composition of asteroids – which could inform companies one day hoping to commercially mine asteroids.