The Solar System
In the Solar System Channel, you can explore the planets and celestial objects around our own sun. Learn about topics such as Mars, Jupiter and the Moon.
What Are the 'Dog Days of Summer'?
How to Find Orion's Belt in the Night Sky
Astronomers Tell You How and Where to Best View Meteor Showers
Shooting the Stars as an Astrophotographer
Stellarium Is the Free 'Planetarium' for Your Computer
The Hitomi Satellite Briefly Glimpsed the Universe, Then Died — What Happened?
Surprise! The Big Dipper Is an Asterism, Not a Constellation
Aldebaran: The Brightest Star in the Constellation Taurus
6 Red-Hot Facts About the Red Giant Star Arcturus
Learn More / Page 3
Researchers at the Zwicky Transient Facility have found an asteroid in Earth's orbit. And this one has the shortest year yet.
Scientists recently found 12 more moons revolving around Jupiter, bringing its total to 92. Why does Jupiter have so many darn moons? And why does Earth just have one?
By Mark Mancini
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Why do planets in the solar system all seem to be round? Why not cylindrical? Or even cube-shaped?
By Mark Mancini
The mysterious microbes living more than half a mile beneath the deepest ocean floors could have something to teach us about Martian life.
The idea of planet Nibiru has captivated doomsday prophets and conspiracy theorists for decades, but nobody has proven its existence. What's the deal?
By Mark Mancini
The wait is over. NASA confirms Mars is seismically active.
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In the darkness of space, we’re comforted by our moon, the circular inspirer of song lyrics, poetry, and wannabe astronauts. But what do you really know about the moon and its history? Take this quiz to find out.
Rovers are getting some practice hunting for microbes here on Earth before they head to Mars in 2020.
No worries though. Jupiter, Neptune or Uranus could create their own beautiful, bright ring display in the distant future.
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Those stars twinkling in the nighttime sky may actually be crystal spheres. And our beloved star is headed in that direction, too. Eventually.
The China National Space Administration makes history — and shows the world the dark side of the moon.
By Mark Mancini
The image, which was created by the European Space Agency, shows the blazing hot orb's northern-most region for the very first time. Pretty cool stuff.
By Mark Mancini
After cruising 300 million miles and spending seven months in space, the InSight spacecraft successfully touched down on Mars' surface. How awesome is that?
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Dark matter is the most mysterious (and possibly important) material in the universe, and scientists are excited that a storm of the stuff is upon us.
The idea behind the "fake" moon is to provide extra illumination to Chengdu, a city in China's Sichuan province. What could possibly go wrong?
By Mark Mancini
Back in 2006, the International Astronomical Union decided to demote Pluto to the status of a dwarf planet. A historical study challenges that designation.
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It's a small world with an astonishingly long orbit around our sun. And it could lead us to the fabled Planet X.
It dashed through our solar system like a cigar-shaped signal from another star system. But which one? Astronomers are on the case.
Jupiter has been notoriously bad about revealing any water deep in its thick atmosphere. That's changing though.
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Comet 21P and comet 46P will swing past our planet during the month of September — and you won't need a telescope to see either.
By Mark Mancini
