Solar System

Latest about Solar System

The full moon as seen from the International Space Station on Dec. 8, 2022. The moon is setting below Earth’s horizon as the station flew 269 miles above the southern Indian Ocean.

Easter is coming late in 2025, astronomically speaking. Here's why

By Joe Rao published

Easter falls on the Sunday that follows the first full moon occurring on or after the day of the spring equinox. So it seems like Easter should be this weekend. Here's why it isn't.

The moon
An artist's rendering of NOAA's GOES-19 satellite in orbit.

The newest GOES weather satellite in NOAA's fleet is now fully operational (video)

By Meredith Garofalo published

The powerful GOES-19 satellites, one of the most advanced ever built, has taken on a new name.

Earth
A bird flies in front of a NASA symbol on a building.

Elon Musk's DOGE team given 'alarming degree' of access to NASA systems, House Democrats say

By Monisha Ravisetti published

"None of these three individuals possess the slightest background or experience in space policy or government service."

Earth
Solar Orbiter took this image of the sun during its close approach in March 2022. At that time, the spacecraft was closer to the star than the solar system's innermost planet Mercury.

The sun just leaked a huge amount of helium-3 — the rare isotope scientists want to harvest on the moon

By Victoria Corless published

The sun was caught bursting out a huge quantity of helium-3, an isotope that's scarce in our solar system.

The Sun
a comet with a long tail streaks through a star filled sky above trees.

What to expect from the newfound Comet Swan: An observer's guide

By Joe Rao published

Here's an observers' guide to the newly discovered Comet 2025 F2 (SWAN), which is visible in northern skies right now.

Comets
A person drawing on a piece of paper in the darkness. Three other pieces of paper show the sun.

Trump administration's NOAA layoffs affected the space weather service that tracks solar storms

By Meredith Garofalo published

Experts share why Trump-mandated cuts to the NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center share is a big deal.

Earth
a silver open-air four-wheeled vehicle on a showroom floor

Lunar Outpost unveils sleek new 'Eagle' moon rover (photos)

By Brett Tingley published

Lunar Outpost unveiled its new "Eagle" moon rover at the 40th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, and it looks straight out of science fiction.

The moon
a comet with a long tail streaks through a star filled sky above trees.

Newly discovered Comet C/2025 F2 (SWAN) captured in stunning photo blazing across UK skies

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

The striking Comet C/2025 F2 (SWAN) photograph was captured by astrophotographer Josh Dury at 4:50 a.m. local time on April 9.

Comets
A visualization of the Earth toward the right, the moon in the center and the asteroid in the foreground toward the left.

We now know the shape of notorious asteroid 2024 YR4 that dominated headlines recently — it's probably 'suburban,' too

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Asteroid 2024 YR4, once a potential Earth threat, likely originated from the main asteroid belt's central region, a surprising origin for Earth-crossing space rocks, a new study finds.

Asteroids
A light blue planet set against the darkness of space

A day on Uranus is actually longer than we thought, Hubble Telescope reveals

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

This approach can now be used to determine the rotation rate of any celestial object with a magnetic field and auroras — including exoplanets.

Uranus
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