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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
Calendar of space events 2025
Space missions, rocket launches, and celestial events are coming our way in 2025.
What are planets made of?
A look at the compositions of terrestrial planets, gas giants, and ice giants in our Solar System.
Why the true colors of the planets aren't what you think
Cameras on our space probes act as proxies for our own eyes, but what they see isn't necessarily what our eyes would see.
Looking for long waves
Why JWST observes in the infrared.
Storms and showers
Mars has storms of dust, while Saturn pours down ammonia rain. Here on Earth, we passed through a debris tail to get a special kind of shower.
That’s a mare
An unusual lunar feature, Saturn’s shining rings, and Mars’ complex gullies.
Moon-spying missions and a planetary evil twin
Whether they’re dedicated to it or not, planetary missions can get beautiful and informative glimpses at distant moons. And who’s the evil twin: Venus or Earth?
A mission to pull back the shroud
VERITAS would peer through Venus’ clouds to study its surface like never before, but it needs your help.
Your guide to rings of the Solar System
Tour the rings of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, plus asteroids, a dwarf planet, and an exoplanet.
Outer worlds and outstanding science
Uranus is way out there, beckoning us to visit. And Cassini is the mission that won’t quit, even years after burning up.
What Cassini continues to reveal about Saturn
Saturn continues to surprise as scientists comb through 13 years of Cassini data.
Planetary accessorizing
Planets are beautiful and fascinating enough on their own, but there’s no denying that moons and rings add a little something special.
How Uranus and Neptune are key to unlocking how planets form
A flagship mission to the ice giants — Uranus and Neptune — will forever change our understanding of the origin and evolution of our solar system.
Space brings out the best in us
Space exploration is at its core an optimistic, peaceful and cooperative endeavor. This week we look at some reminders of that spirit of exploration.
The best space pictures from the Voyager 1 and 2 missions
NASA’s Voyager missions provided an unprecedented glimpse into the outer solar system.
So much more than meets the eye
Space is even more spectacular when you can see beyond what the eye can behold.
Shoot for the moon that shoots back
Saturn’s moon Enceladus has some intriguing features: snow, ice, geysers, stripes and much more, all waiting to be further explored.
Meet the snow worlds
Earth isn't the only planet with snow. From Io to Enceladus, here's where snow can be found in our solar system.
Water plumes from Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus may show promising signs of life
New research says methane levels detected in the plumes of one of Saturn's moons, Enceladus, might point to a habitable world.
How Dragonfly will explore Saturn’s ‘bizarro Earth’ moon, Titan
NASA's Dragonfly dual-quadcopter will carry a suite of instruments designed to analyze the surface of Saturn's moon, Titan.