Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

A space smorgasbord

Sample the best tidbits from space exploration this week, including news from across the Solar System and beyond, and personal insights from leaders of exploration.

Mind-blowing space volcanoes

Taking a look at volcanic worlds in our solar system and exoplanets that might crack under pressure.

Blurring the lines between imagination and reality

The realities of space go beyond what we can see, and perhaps even beyond what we can imagine.

Supereruptions and psychedelia

The surface of Mars can teach us about its history and, with the right imaging techniques, conjure flashbacks of 60s psychedelia.

Looking forward to looking into deep space

The newest issue of The Planetary Report takes a look at the James Webb Space Telescope and what it will teach us about the cosmos.

Celebrating Canadian Investments in Lunar Science and Exploration

The Planetary Society congratulates the Government of Canada on a new series of investments in science and exploration at the Moon.

When Phobos hits your eye like a big pizza pie...

Get a peek at the Martian moon and catch up on what the newest Mars explorer has been up to.

Processing images of the cosmos and returning to the Moon

Take a look at space image processing, and try it yourself. Plus, catch up on the week’s space news.

So long, 2020, and thanks for all the space

Look back on the year’s accomplishments and enjoy the beauty of the cosmos.

The great conjunction! (And how it functions)

Everything you need to know about Saturn and Jupiter’s upcoming conjunction, and more from this week in space exploration.

Wish upon a shooting star (or a descending asteroid sample)

Hayabusa2 brings its sample safely to Earth, and the Geminids meteor shower approaches.

Would you care for a sample?

Bringing samples of the Moon and Ryugu to Earth, and mourning further damage to the Arecibo Observatory.

Asteroid Bennu during OSIRIS-REx sample rehearsal

It's a banner year for sample return missions. In 2020, China, Japan, and the United States are all scheduled to have sample return missions in flight, seeking to retrieve material from near-Earth asteroids, the Moon, and eventually Mars.

The Next 10 Years

Six scientists share the major planetary science discoveries of the past decade, and the questions that will drive the next 10 years of solar system exploration.