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The Downlink • Feb 28, 2025
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Space Snapshot
We’re used to seeing Uranus in its natural blue colors, but this 2003 image from the Hubble Space Telescope brings out some hidden variations in the ice giant’s atmosphere. The telescope’s Imaging Spectrograph and the Advanced Camera for Surveys created this enhanced-color image to show different altitudes of clouds, finding similar bands to those seen on Jupiter and Saturn. Image credit: NASA/ESA and Erich Karkoschka, University of Arizona.
Fact Worth Sharing
The Sun emits all colors of visible light in roughly equal amounts, a combination that appears white to our eyes. But from Earth, the Sun looks yellow because of how our atmosphere scatters blue light. This slight reduction in blue wavelengths results in a yellow appearance.
Mission Briefings
There’s a new possible explanation for Mars’ color. New research suggests that the rusty minerals that make Mars red may be iron oxides known as ferrihydrite. Because ferrihydrite forms in the presence of water, this could mean that Mars turned red earlier than previously thought. Pictured: Mars seen by the European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft as it flew past on its way to Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2007. The composite image combines near-infrared, green, and near-ultraviolet wavelengths. Image credit: ESA et al.
The chance of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth has dropped to nearly zero. The asteroid was in the news in recent weeks because it had a non-zero chance of impacting Earth, but that probability has dropped to 0.001%. This brings the object from Level 3 to Level 0 on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, meaning it no longer requires significant attention from scientists or the public.
New evidence supports the hypothesis that Mars once had oceans. Data from China’s Zhurong Rover show extensive deposits similar to those of Earth’s coastal sediments, supporting the idea that the liquid water thought to have been present on ancient Mars may have formed an ocean. Shorelines like this could be an ideal place to look for signs of past Martian life.
NASA’s Lunar Trailblazer mission has launched for the Moon. The orbiter is designed to map the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the Moon, in part to help prepare for future crewed Artemis missions. Lunar Trailblazer took off from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Feb. 26.
From The Planetary Society
NASA layoffs have been avoided, but more action is still needed. The Planetary Society issued a statement in response to the White House’s reconsideration of mass probationary employee layoffs at NASA, welcoming this decision but urging the Senate to confirm a NASA Administrator as soon as possible. Having an empowered leadership team in place would help the agency avoid further disruptions to its workforce or budget. Want to help ensure NASA’s future? Register today for our 2025 Day of Action. Image credit: Antonio Peronace for The Planetary Society.
Genesis may have crashed, but it was far from a failure. The NASA mission was designed to collect and return solar wind samples to Earth, but crash-landed in the Utah desert in 2004. Amy Jurewicz, former project scientist for Genesis, joined this week’s Planetary Radio to discuss what this mission taught us about future sample returns, spacecraft protection, and long-term human spaceflight beyond Earth’s magnetosphere.
Join us for the Cosmic Shores Gala! The Planetary Society will celebrate our 45th anniversary with a special gala event on April 5, 2025, aboard the historic RMS Queen Mary, docked in California’s Long Beach Harbor. The Cosmic Shores Gala will feature a keynote address and discussion panel, a reception with a silent auction, dinner, and an awards presentation emceed by Robert Picardo with our CEO Bill Nye. Learn more and buy your tickets today.
What's Up
Follow the Moon over the course of the next few days to see it cozy up with Venus on March 1, Jupiter on March 5, and Mars on March 9. Those three planets will be visible all week. Find out what else to look for in March’s night skies.
Join now and save space missions
If you are not already a member, become one TODAY and help shape the future of space science and exploration by fueling mission-critical advocacy efforts. Here’s just one example: The Planetary Society led efforts in Washington to re-establish funding for NASA’s Venus orbiter VERITAS — and we won! This was only possible because of the support of our members. VERITAS will produce the first global, high-resolution topographic and radar images of Venus, revealing the secrets of Earth's twin planet.
Will you join their ranks and help more missions reach the finish line?
Wow of the Week
Raw imaging data from spacecraft can be a great starting point for an artist. Image processor Cody Kuiack used data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft to create this image, showing a close-up of storms on Jupiter in a rainbow of colors and textures. Anyone can access and process image data from NASA missions. Image credit: NASA / SwRI / MSSS / Cody Kuiack.
Send us your artwork!
We love to feature space artwork in the Downlink. If you create any kind of space-related art, we invite you to send it to us by replying to any Downlink email or writing to [email protected]. Please let us know in your email if you’re a Planetary Society member!