Blog Archive

False color Landsat 5 image used by Max Rocca, supported by The Planetary Society, to discover the Rio Vichada Impact Structure, which, though still awaiting final confirmation, appears to be the largest impact structure in South America with an outer ring at 50 km and an inner ring at 30 km diameter. Note the course of the Rio Vichada river in the image which flows around the highly circular structure in the center.

More Evidence for Impact Origin for Colombia’s Vichada Structure

Posted by Bruce Betts on 2012/05/08 03:43 CDT

Evidence continues to pile up that the Rio Vichada structure in Colombia is indeed the largest impact structure in South America.

Planets around Alpha Centauri?

Posted by Bruce Betts on 2012/04/24 12:03 CDT | 2 comments

Do planets circle our closest stellar neighbors, the system loved by science fiction: Alpha Centauri? We don’t know. But, Debra Fischer, Julien Spronck, and their colleagues at Yale University, in part with Planetary Society support, are trying to find out.

Pioneer Anomaly Solved!

Posted by Bruce Betts on 2012/04/19 11:00 CDT | 7 comments

With the latest piece of the puzzle just published in a scientific journal, a solar system mystery that has perplexed people for more than 20 years has been solved, truly thanks to the support of Planetary Society members.

The Quest for the "WOW!": one man's search for SETI's most promising signal

Posted by Amir Alexander on 2012/01/27 11:00 CST

Reflections on Phobos LIFE

Posted by Bruce Betts on 2012/01/13 10:35 CST

We explore space for the noblest goals of science and exploration, and we often persevere in spite of challenges. But space exploration is fraught with bad things happening, or, to use the technical term, ouchies. The Planetary Society's Phobos LIFE biomodule will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere in the next few days with the rest of the Phobos-Grunt mission.

Nighttime Water Ice Clouds Predicted by Models are Confirmed by MCS Observations

Posted by Jim Shirley on 2011/10/25 12:00 CDT

A daily cycle of cloud formation in the Martian tropics during northern summer is driven largely by solar radiation and the associated solar thermal tide. Models predict a striking pattern of cloud formation above the high altitude volcanoes of the Tharsis region. At mid-day, the atmosphere is typically free of clouds due to elevated temperatures. Beginning in the early evening hours, atmospheric cooling at altitudes above 20 kilometers begins to foster water ice cloud formation. During the night, the altitude of cloud formation descends closer to the surface.