Solar System - Planets Topics
Active Mercury
2009 — April 6, 2011
A NASA spacecraft gliding over the surface of Mercury has revealed that the planet's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and its geological past display greater levels of activity than scientists first suspected.
Never Say Die
2000 — April 6, 2011
After receiving weak signals that may have come from Mars Polar Lander on Dec. 18 and Jan. 4, Stanford radio astronomers are again listening for murmurs from the missing spacecraft.
Mercury Rising
2000 — April 6, 2011
There are two really good times to see Mercury this year and next week is one of them. Good Mercury watching begins this Saturday evening, June 3, when a slender crescent Moon and the elusive planet appear together for stargazers just after sunset. Mercury's apparition as an evening star will continue through mid-June.
Red Moon Rising
2000 — April 6, 2011
Sky watchers from Europe to the Pacific were treated to a beautiful Lunar Eclipselast month.
Listening for Mars Polar Lander
2000 — April 6, 2011
More telescopes have joined the search for Mars Polar Lander after Stanford scientists failed to confirm a radio signal from the missing spacecraft last week.
Happy New Year, Europa
2000 — April 6, 2011
On the eve of another extended mission, NASA's Galileo spacecraft swooped past Jupiter's icy moon Europa today at an altitude of 351 kilometers. Another Io flyby is planned for February 22.
Surf's Up on Europa?
2000 — April 6, 2011
Changes in Europa's magnetic field, detected during last week's flyby, point to a salty, subterranean ocean.
Mysterious Sedna
2004 — April 6, 2011
Astronomers have discovered a strange planet-like body in the distant reaches of the solar system.
Saturn Hailstorm
2004 — April 6, 2011
When Cassini reached Saturn On June 30th, it dashed through a gap in Saturn's rings, twice. One of onboard science instruments recorded a flurry of ring-dust harmlessly striking the spacecraft.
The Missing Moon of Sedna
2004 — April 6, 2011
Astronomers examining Hubble Space Telescope images of distant Sedna say the planetoid is even more mysterious than they first thought.