More than one way to make an impact

Space Snapshot

You never know when you might make an impactful discovery. Amateur astronomer Joël Lapointe was using Google Maps to plan a camping vacation in 2024 when he came across a feature in Quebec's Côte-Nord region that reminded him of an impact crater. He reported the finding, and now field investigations have found geological evidence that this previously-unknown feature is indeed a crater from an impact 390 million years ago. The crater's name, Uhackatik, was established in consultation with the Innu Council of Ekuanitshit. Pictured: A Google Earth view of the site. Image credit: Google/Gordon Osinski.

Fact Worth Sharing

The newly confirmed Uhackatik crater adds to Canada’s lead as the country with the most confirmed impact craters. This isn't because Canada has been hit by more space rocks than other places, but because its ancient, stable bedrock has preserved signs of impacts over hundreds of millions of years.

Mission Briefings

China is studying an asteroid warning system. The newly announced studies involve a network of satellites and Earth-based telescopes to detect hard-to-spot near-Earth asteroids, especially those approaching from the direction of the Sun. These efforts would add to China’s planetary defense work, which also includes developing a kinetic-impact and observation demonstration mission, similar to NASA's DART mission (pictured here in an artist’s impression). Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL.

New Horizons discovered huge landslides on Pluto. New analysis of data collected during the NASA mission’s 2015 flyby of the dwarf planet has identified six enormous ice-and-rock flows within impact craters, offering new clues about geological processes on icy bodies.

Space Advocate Update

People have spoken up about the OMB’s proposed science funding rule change. Nearly 500,000 comments were submitted in response to a rule change proposed by the White House Office of Management and Budget that would fundamentally change how science is funded in the United States. The Planetary Society submitted our own formal comment as well. Here’s what comes next in this important process.

From The Planetary Society

You can help prevent impacts, too. It’s thanks to support from people like you that The Planetary Society is able to work with partners around the world to advance the science, technology, and advocacy needed to protect our planet from asteroid impacts. Together, we are working to avoid a natural disaster that we have the ability to prevent. Will you make a gift today to help defend humanity? Image credit: NASA/Goddard/ARIAÏ.

It’s never too early to start fostering a passion for space. Commercial space astronaut Sian Proctor and astronomer John Read join this week’s Planetary Radio to discuss “Baby's Guide to the Night Sky,” their new book that introduces the youngest children to constellations and the wonders of the Cosmos.

Viking 1 made the first successful Mars landing 50 years ago this week. To celebrate the milestone, The Planetary Society is partnering with the National Air and Space Museum, Johns Hopkins University, and SpaceNews for a special event on July 20 on Capitol Hill. Registration is now open to the public.

We're hiring! We’re seeking a Salesforce Admin/Analyst to serve as the primary technical owner of The Planetary Society's NPSP-based Salesforce CRM environment and its integrations, responsible for its design, development, maintenance, and ongoing improvement. If you have expertise working with Salesforce, apply for this position today!

What's Up

Venus shines super-bright in the western evening sky this week, with yellowish Saturn rising in the east later in the night. You’ll still be able to spot Saturn high in the sky before dawn, with reddish Mars lower to the east. Learn more in our guide to July’s night skies.

Help save space missions. Join today!

If you are not already a member, we need your help! Funding for space science is not guaranteed. It requires the voice of passionate advocates like YOU.

NASA funding must grow, not shrink, if the agency is to succeed in returning to the Moon, exploring the Solar System, and seeking out life beyond Earth.

We must prevent future budget cuts. When you become a member of The Planetary Society, you join the world’s largest and most influential space advocacy nonprofit. Will you join us and support a future full of space exploration?

Wow of the Week

This artwork, titled “Hokusai Crater,” is part of a series of works by artist and Planetary Society member Laura J. Lawson. Using laser etching on an acrylic block, Lawson depicts a real crater on Mercury named after the Japanese artist Hokusai, with his iconic painting “The Great Wave Off Kanagawa” etched onto the other side of the block. “I glued graphite into the crater,” said Lawson, “as it is abundant in Mercury's craters.” This series of works honors the link between art and science, two fields that have impacted our world in so many ways. Image credit: Laura J. Lawson.

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!