Solar System : Discovery News

Comet Lovejoy to 'Play Chicken' With the Sun

Posted by Ian O'Neill Thu Dec 15, 2011 06:00 AM ET | 0

With an obvious death wish, Comet Lovejoy is on a rather unfortunate voyage; it's falling toward the sun. Read more

Comet Lovejoy to 'Play Chicken' With the Sun

Solar Active Region 'Larger Than Jupiter'

Posted by Ian O'Neill Tue Nov 8, 2011 03:47 AM ET | 0

You may be preoccupied with Tuesday's asteroid 2005 YU55 flyby, but there's another astronomical event currently unfolding in the solar system. Read more

Solar Active Region 'Larger Than Jupiter'

Collecting Killer Asteroids in Earth Orbit

Posted by Ray Villard Thu Oct 27, 2011 04:24 PM ET | 0

Nudging an asteroid into and Earth orbit will take time, resources and imagination. But accomplishing the task only means working within Newtonian physics -- no exotic stardrive needed! Read more

Collecting Killer Asteroids in Earth Orbit

Asteroid Fails to Make It Big

Posted by Irene Klotz Thu Oct 27, 2011 02:00 PM ET | 0

A little asteroid turns out to be a planetary building block that stopped growing. Read more

Mars Feels Sun's Wrath

Posted by Ian O'Neill Wed Oct 26, 2011 07:22 PM ET | 0

The sun battered the Earth's magnetosphere with an "epic" geomagnetic storm over the last couple of days, generating beautiful auroral displays at low latitudes. Now it's Mars' turn. Read more

Devilish Solar Activity: Big Pics

Posted Sat Oct 22, 2011 04:33 PM ET | 0

A closer look at the sun reveals some devilish features. Read more

Pluto, the Biggest Dwarf

Posted by Jason Major Sun Oct 16, 2011 10:48 PM ET | 0

There's a size war being waged at the outskirts of our solar system, and it looks like Pluto may come out as the reigning champ. Read more

What Is Space?

Posted by Jason Major Thu Oct 13, 2011 04:00 AM ET | 0

What does it take to comprehend the vast distances between the planets of the solar system? Read more

Ice Giant Neptune's Fiery Glow

Posted by Jason Major Sun Sep 18, 2011 09:12 PM ET | 0

See cold, distant Neptune and its moon Triton as you've never seen them before -- through the eyes of the Keck infrared observatory. Read more

NASA Twin Science Probes Launched to the Moon

Posted by Irene Klotz Sat Sep 10, 2011 12:02 PM ET | 0

An unmanned Delta 2 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral Air Force on Saturday to send a pair of NASA science probes on their way to the moon. Read more

NASA Twin Science Probes Launched to the Moon

Has Earth Brand™ Life Seeded the Galaxy?

Posted by Ian O'Neill Mon Aug 22, 2011 04:39 PM ET | 0

Ejecta kicked into space from impacts on the Earth's surface appear to travel much further than anyone predicted -- but could it be a life-spreading mechanism to other star systems? Read more

Monster Waves Behind Sun's Coronal Heating Mystery?

Posted by Ian O'Neill Wed Jul 27, 2011 01:00 PM ET | 0

Powerful Alfvén waves have been detected deep inside the sun's atmosphere, possibly explaining why the solar atmosphere is so hot. Read more

Monster Waves Behind Sun's Coronal Heating Mystery?

Remind Me Again, Why Isn't Pluto a Planet?

Posted by Mark Thompson Tue Jul 26, 2011 02:33 PM ET | 0

In light of the discovery of a fourth moon orbiting Pluto, Mark Thompson ponders what it takes to be called a "planet." Read more

Hayabusa Asteroid Probe Awarded World Record

Posted by Ian O'Neill Mon Jun 20, 2011 01:28 PM ET | 0

A year after the mission came to an end, the Japanese Hayabusa mission is officially certified by Guinness World Records as the first spacecraft to return to Earth carrying material from an asteroid. Read more

Hayabusa Asteroid Probe Awarded World Record

Which Near-Earth Asteroid Should We Visit?

Posted by Ray Villard Thu Jun 16, 2011 03:22 PM ET | 0

Of the tens of thousands of Near Earth Objects out there, which ones would be best to visit, optimizing fuel and ease of speeding back to Earth should anything go wrong? Read more