The Solar System

NASA’s Juno Gives Aerial Views of Mountain, Lava Lake on Io

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

This animation is an artist’s concept of Loki Patera, a lava lake on Jupiter’s moon Io, made using data from the JunoCam ...

NASA Unveils Design for Message Heading to Jupiter’s Moon Europa

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

When it launches in October, the agency’s Europa Clipper spacecraft will carry a richly layered dispatch that includes more than 2.6 million ...

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures a Martian Day, From Dawn to Dusk

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

Videos from the rover show its shadow moving across the Martian surface during a 12-hour sequence while Curiosity remained parked. When NASA’s ...

NASA’s Juno to Get Close Look at Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io on Dec. 30

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

The orbiter has performed 56 flybys of Jupiter and documented close encounters with three of the gas giant’s four largest moons. NASA’s ...

NASA Study Finds Life-Sparking Energy Source and Molecule at Enceladus

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

A study zooms in on data that NASA’s Cassini gathered at Saturn’s icy moon and finds evidence of a key ingredient for ...

Time Is Running Out to Add Your Name to NASA’s Europa Clipper

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

Six weeks remain for you to add your name to a microchip that will ride aboard the spacecraft as it explores Jupiter’s ...

NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Discovers 2nd Asteroid During Dinkinesh Flyby

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

On Nov. 1, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft flew by not just its first asteroid, but its first two. The first images returned by ...

Salts and Organics Observed on Ganymede’s Surface by NASA’s Juno

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

Data collected by NASA’s Juno mission indicates a briny past may be bubbling to the surface on Jupiter’s largest moon. NASA’s Juno ...

NASA Is Locating Ice on Mars With This New Map

Science
Dr. Thomas Hughes

The map could help the agency decide where the first astronauts to the Red Planet should land. The more available water, the ...