Twister, but make it magnetic A Jovian storm has its roots in a magnetic vortex, life finds a way into…
2024 Impact Report In 2024, The Planetary Society championed the importance of space science and exploration through our advocacy and…
Ripples and rivers Liquids do all kinds of interesting things on planetary surfaces, from creating rippled impact craters to streaming…
Streaks and highlights It’s been a great year for space exploration. Now you get to pick the highlights. Go to…
Journeys worth making Perseverance faces a hard climb, but New Horizons proves it’s worth going the distance. Go to Source…
Grand designs From logos to policy to mission architectures, if you want to achieve something in space, you’ve got to…
Solar maximum = maximum awe With the Sun at the peak of its activity cycle, we Earthlings get treated to…
Twinsies! Asteroids that come in pairs, matching volcanic features on Mars and Earth, and the potential space policies of two…
Glitter and glow This week we look forward to launches, gaze at glowing auroras, and get creative with glitter. Go…
Cloudy skies, smooth sailing A Martian cloud atlas, LightSail wins big, and multiple missions coast toward launch. Go to Source…
Spacecraft, what do your robot eyes see? Cameras on spacecraft are our eyes into the Cosmos. Sometimes they teach us…
Someone’s aliens Life thrives on Earth, and we even send evidence of our presence out into the Solar System. Is…
Inside, underneath, backward, upside-down From holes on Mars to a spun-around moon and a flipped reflection, space science involves looking…
Why the “habitable zone” doesn’t always mean habitable The habitable zone is a useful concept in astrobiology, but it can…
Wow! Boom! Ultra cool! The “Wow!” signal has a new explanation, and an ultra-cool experiment advances quantum sensing in space….
Life in other worlds New research suggests liquid water might be hiding under the surface of Mars. Could life be…
Seeing the unseeable From X-ray imaging to slithering beneath Enceladus’ crust, space technology is always expanding what we can see…
A big find on Mars A big rover makes a big find on Mars. Little rovers have their place in…
Serendipity, a super-Jupiter, and saving VIPER This was a big week in space, from Curiosity stumbling upon sulfur crystals to…
A planetary smash-up A comet collided with Jupiter 30 years ago, and the resulting images still inspire awe and wonder…
To the Moon, Mars, and beyond with the 2024 NASA Authorization If passed, it would be the first standalone NASA…
Getting a good look at what’s out there From taking hundreds of thousands of photos of Mars to scanning the…
Making history, making waves, and making LEGO The first-ever samples from the lunar farside are here on Earth, Titan’s seas…
Now you see me… Where and when to spot the ISS, learn what asteroids are made of, and search for…
Space superlatives From the largest and most active volcanoes in space to the exoplanet with the “best hair,” this week…
Happy little accidents Sometimes science happens by accident. Other times, it goes exactly to plan. Go to Source Author: The…
Old becomes new A star will become visible in the night sky, and old data from Venus yield new discoveries….
Mars rovers, helicopters, and sunsets This week brings updates on the next missions to rove — and maybe even fly…
A certain flair for solar activity The Sun was in the spotlight this week, with a huge solar storm and…
Can you imagine? From visionary technologies to unusual planetary views, this week’s Downlink will challenge your imagination. Go to Source…
Wow! But also, yikes! Photos and news from space to inspire, amaze, and even scare you a little. Go to…
Volcanoes are so hot right now From Mars to Io, volcanoes top the list of hottest things in space right…
Scratching the surface The latest news on missions to search for ice and water beneath planetary surfaces. Go to Source…
A sight to remember For hundreds of millions of people, the Sun and Moon put on an astonishing show this…
Space: See it, hear it, feel it, predict it From spotting comets to hearing eclipses and predicting solar emissions, there…
Keeping an eye on things Measuring changes in the Moon’s size, watching for eruptions on the Sun’s surface, and monitoring…
Hidden depths and a cosmic mystery Jupiter has much more going on beneath its outer clouds, and NASA invites players…
Transits are cool, but… A moon transiting the Sun is awesome, but still doesn’t quite compare to a total solar…
Science to satisfy curiosity The Curiosity rover is climbing a mountain to gain knowledge. Bringing back Mars samples will gain…
Lunar success stories The Odysseus spacecraft marks the return of U.S. landers to the Moon. JAXA wants you to help…
A ridge over hidden water Ridges on Mars and Europa hint at past and present water. Distant dwarf planets are…
Far from predictable Some things, like solar cycles, are hard to predict. Others, like Zoozve taking the world by storm,…
Cool and mysterious A cool moon, a mysterious planet, and a potentially hazardous asteroid feature in this week’s space news…
Go fetch! A rover collects samples, future Mars Sample Return missions will retrieve them, and perhaps a robotic dog will…
Colorful faults and false colors We might not know what color the planets really are, but we know a whole…
Twice as nice Sometimes the Solar System offers up a planetary pair for our viewing enjoyment. Japan has a pair…
Destination: Moon Getting to the Moon — or any moon — isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. That’s why we…
Visions of Venus See our neighboring planet in radar and in artwork, and catch up on the week’s space news….
Happy Perihelion! There’s lots to celebrate this week, from the New Year to perihelion and everything we’ve accomplished together during…
Laser pointer + cat = science Learn why NASA got a cat to chase a laser pointer, see the Uranus…
Alien clouds and those that peer through them From mythology to technology, clouds can’t keep us from seeing what lies…
Getting around in space Planets move around a star, spacecraft make their way across planets and through space, and Planetary…
Picks, pics, and peaks Your picks for the Best of 2023, our favorite space pics, a mind-boggling peak speed, and…
Gifts from above Space exploration bestows us with many gifts, from scientific insights and beautiful images to technological marvels and…
LightSail 2’s legacy lives on On the one-year anniversary of LightSail 2’s end of flight, we look back at the…
Planetary paparazzi Who needs candid celebrity snapshots? We’ve got all the best pics of your favorite planetary bodies. Go to…
The best! The farthest! The maximum! Space superlatives abound this week. We’ve made a couple of awards, but the rest…
Galactic ghouls and vampire stars Space can be a scary place! But fear not — it’s all still fascinating. Go…
Behold, the moon(s)! With International Observe the Moon Night coming up, there are many moons worth checking out. Go to…
Syzygy + apogee = majesty An annular solar eclipse is about to wow the world, and there’s plenty more to…
Cosmic cocktail hour Jupiter looks fit for a martini, and Carl Sagan pairs well with a cosmopolitan. Find out why,…
With an eye to the future Mars Sample Return’s future depends on what we do now. NIAC’s projects are very…
Equinox and equilux Celebrate today’s equinox, but be sure to check when your location’s equilux takes place. And there’s lots…
Lost and found Some things are lost — Moon rocks, Io’s water, even (briefly) the Sun’s light — but what…
A checklist for what to expect during the 2024 total solar eclipse Know what to expect ahead of time, and…
See for yourself See the month’s coolest space pictures, see planets in the night sky, and create the future in…
Moonstruck From asteroid impacts to spacecraft landings (whether successful or not), the Moon is no stranger to being struck. Go…
Storms and showers Mars has storms of dust, while Saturn pours down ammonia rain. Here on Earth, we passed through…
Hasta la vista, baby Terminators abound this week in space, and we’ll be back to Mars if NASA gets the…
Far out, man! Faraway spacecraft, distant objects, the lunar farside, and a pretty out-there art project. Go to Source Author:…
Life on Venus: Your Questions Answered Is there life on Venus? Was our planetary neighbor ever inhabited? Here are the…
That’s a mare An unusual lunar feature, Saturn’s shining rings, and Mars’ complex gullies. Go to Source Author: The latest…
Speedy spacecraft and pretty pics Take a look at some of our favorite recent space images and learn about an…
Growing veggies for the Moon and Mars If we’re going to live on the Moon and Mars for extended periods,…
Searching the skies to keep us all alive Astronomers around the world are working to protect the Earth from asteroid…
Rings and dings From Saturn’s magnificent rings to Mercury’s surface dings, this week brings great new images and science from…
Day and night, it’s all about starlight This week in space: Mars days almost match up with ours, and light…
The scientific truth is out there The real science of aliens, the policy implications of ET, and new views of…
Would you like some salty water with your space salad? Two new grant-winning projects, a collection of awesome space imagery,…
Way out there We’re always learning more about the worlds of the outer Solar System, and even those beyond. Go…
Moon-spying missions and a planetary evil twin Whether they’re dedicated to it or not, planetary missions can get beautiful and…
Hard-working spacecraft and even harder-working microbes The Soyuz spacecraft have been helping humans get to and from space for decades,…
Moonshadow, Moonshadow The Moon casts shadows on itself and on Earth, environmental concerns overshadow a test launch’s success, and exoplanets…
Have a nice flight! Flying on Titan is easy, but not as easy as flying on Deimos. Plus, Juice takes…
Rocket flight and the five dwarfs Meet the Solar System’s five official dwarf planets, celebrate two major launches, and find…
Want more space? Speak up! Detailed Mars maps, insights into the Venusian surface, and views of Uranian rings all have…
A mission to pull back the shroud VERITAS would peer through Venus’ clouds to study its surface like never before,…
Unusual Uranus! Moist Moon! Volcanic Venus! A planet shows its pole, another shows possible volcanic activity, and the Moon keeps…
Asteroids worth getting psyched about New discoveries from Ryugu, material heading our way from Bennu, and anticipation for a mission…
