Articles

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

Moon features you can see from Earth

What can you see on the Moon tonight? This guide from The Planetary Society will help you identify some features.

JWST launch guide: Everything you need to know

NASA’s long-awaited, greatly anticipated observatory has blasted off on a mission to revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos.

Charlene Anderson at Planteary Society HQ

Catching the passion with Charlene Anderson

An interview with Charlene Anderson, who served as editor of The Planetary Report from 1980 to 2012.

The year in pictures: Planetary exploration in 2021

The past year as seen through the eyes of space missions across the solar system.

DART mission resources for space fans and the press

Exclusive Planetary Society materials to help space fans tell the world about NASA's upcoming mission to impact an asteroid.

LightSail 2 sails into Smithsonian

The prestigious Washington, D.C. institution will display two models of LightSail 2, which is continuing to demonstrate flight by light in Earth orbit.

LightSail 2 image of Afghanistan and Pakistan

The LightSail 2 latest: mission updates, pictures and more

Almost 30 months after liftoff, the mission continues to help prepare for the next generation of solar sail missions.

The Fermi paradox and Drake equation: Where are all the aliens?

Theoretical work in SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, is dominated by two key concepts: the Fermi paradox and the Drake equation.

Risky business: will the world rise to the challenge of asteroid defense?

This November, NASA will launch the world’s first mission to test a method of deflecting an asteroid.

Why NASA Picked SpaceX to Land Humans on the Moon

NASA picked SpaceX's Starship to land humans on the Moon as part of the agency's Artemis program. The decision will help humans land on Mars.

Perseverance Firsts: The Best Moments from NASA's Mars Rover Landing

All the best moments so far from NASA's Perseverance rover, all in one place.

LightSail 2 Image of Typhoon Vamco and the Phillipines

NASA Solar Sails Build on LightSail 2

NEA Scout will visit a near-Earth asteroid and Solar Cruiser will test the largest solar sail yet.

Jupiter and Saturn Great Conjunction Viewing Guide

There's still time to get outside and see Jupiter and Saturn together in the evening sky.

Aliens at Proxima Centauri? A New Radio Signal Raises the Question

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, so here are the reasons why there may or may not be aliens in our cosmic backyard.

Planetary Society Reacts to Loss of Arecibo Observatory Radio Telescope

Arecibo helped us explore the cosmos and our solar system, search for life, and defend Earth from potentially dangerous asteroids.

Your Guide to Crew-1, SpaceX’s Second Astronaut Flight

The last time was a test. This time it was for real. SpaceX successfully launched 4 astronauts to the International Space Station on 15 November 2020.