Scientists find planetary bodies in the habitable zone of dead star
A ring of planetary debris studded with moon-sized structures has been observed orbiting close to a white dwarf star, hinting at a nearby planet...
Scientists discover the final moments of planetary remnants for the first time
The moment that debris from destroyed planets impacts the surface of a white dwarf star has been observed for the first time by astronomers...
Why Neptune and Uranus have different colors?
Uranus and Neptune are similar planets in many ways.
Both are ice giant worlds, both have atmospheres rich in methane, and both have a bluish...
Scientists find never-before-seen mechanism fueling huge aurorae at Saturn
Leicester space scientists have discovered a never-before-seen mechanism fueling huge planetary aurorae at Saturn.
Saturn is unique among planets observed to date in that some...
How Mars lost its oceans
It has long been known that Mars once had oceans due in part to a protective magnetic field similar to Earth’s.
However, the magnetic field...
How dark matter could be measured in the solar system
Pictures of the Milky Way show billions of stars arranged in a spiral pattern radiating out from the center, with illuminated gas in between.
But...
Near-Earth comet destroys an ancient North American culture 1500 years ago
The rapid decline of the Hopewell culture about 1,500 years ago might be explained by falling debris from a near-Earth comet that created a...
Salty water could emerge onto the surface of Mars in some places
The existence of water on Mars is a contentious subject.
We know there used to be water on the surface of the planet, though it’s...
Smaller planets with big moons may be right for life
The universe’s smaller planets are more likely to host the fractionally large moons that may be helpful for harboring life on those planets, researchers...
Scientists trace the movement of 10,000 galaxies and clusters
Everything in our universe moves, but the timescales needed to see motion are often vastly greater than human lifetimes.
In a major new study, astronomers...