When we look for life beyond Earth, our first thought usually goes to planets. We spend a lot of time studying places like Mars. But in recent years, scientists have turned their attention to a new and exciting set of targets: moons. It turns out that the giant planets in our outer solar system, like … Read more
Saturn is the jewel of our solar system. For as long as we have had telescopes, people have been amazed by its beautiful, shining rings. They are what make the planet so famous. When we think of Saturn, we think of its rings. They seem permanent, as if they have been there forever and will … Read more
For decades, humanity has dreamed of setting foot on Mars. But the journey to the Red Planet is incredibly long, difficult, and dangerous. NASA and its partners around the world are working on a plan, and a big part of that plan is the Artemis program, which will take us back to the Moon. As … Read more
NASA, America’s space agency, has a big goal: to send astronauts back to the Moon. This exciting new chapter in space exploration is called the Artemis program. It is named after the twin sister of Apollo, who was the Greek goddess of the Moon. This name is fitting, as the program plans to land the … Read more
When we look up at the night sky, Mars is one of our closest and most interesting neighbors. It is often called the “Red Planet,” and for a long time, people have wondered if it is like Earth. We have sent many robotic explorers, like rovers and orbiters, to study it. These robots act as … Read more
Our solar system is a very busy place. Earth is not alone as it orbits the Sun. We share our neighborhood with other planets, moons, and countless smaller objects like comets and asteroids. These are ancient pieces of rock and ice left over from when our solar system was formed. Most of them are very … Read more
In our solar system, there is a special moon orbiting the giant planet Jupiter. This moon, called Europa, is an exciting place for scientists. From the outside, Europa looks like a bright, white-and-reddish ball of ice, covered in long cracks and streaks. But what makes it truly special is not what we see on the … Read more
The idea of living among the stars, away from Earth, has always captured the human mind. For a long time, Mars has been the top candidate for a new home, the red planet being the most talked about and seemingly achievable goal. But as we learn more about our Solar System, scientists are looking at … Read more
The search for life beyond Earth is one of humanity’s oldest and most exciting goals. For years, scientists have pointed their telescopes and sent their robotic explorers toward Mars, our closest planetary neighbor, hoping to find a sign that we are not alone. Mars today is a cold, dry, dusty place, but we know it … Read more
Our solar system is a busy place. We all know about the Sun and the eight major planets, from Mercury all the way out to Neptune. We also know about the main asteroid belt, which is a huge ring of millions of space rocks orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. For a long time, … Read more