Outer Space

How to Build a Seven-Mile-Wide Scale Model of the Solar System

It takes three-and-a-half miles to get from the Sun to Pluto

Does this look infected?

Life May Have Spread Through the Galaxy Like a Plague

If alien life is distributed in a pattern that mirrors epidemics, it could be strong support for the theory of panspermia

An image of the Italian Alps, snapped in June by the ESA's Sentinel-2, could be used in biodiversity studies.

Why Satellites Are a Biologist's Best Friend

From tracking penguins to coral reefs, satellites are changing the way scientists study ecology

The leading hemisphere of Dione shows tectonic faults running across its surface, along with craters, in false color, which was produced by an image in the ultraviolet, green, and infrared wavelengths taken by the Cassini Orbiter. The subtle variations in color may be caused by fine ice particles.

Today, Cassini Will Say Goodbye to Saturn’s Moon Dione

It's curtains for the NASA mission's close relationship with the satellite

Greetings, 51 Eridani b!

How, and Why, Do Astronomers Take Pictures of Exoplanets?

The latest snapshot of a Jupiter-like world hints at the potential for seeing more diverse planets in direct images

A combined shot shows two Perseids falling a minute apart over Bergen, Norway, on August 13.

See Spectacular Photos From This Year's Perseid Meteor Shower

The annual event sent sparks flying over dark skies as Earth plowed through debris from a comet

Astronauts Have Some Weird Pre-Launch Traditions

Rituals are important when you're about to rocket into space

An artist’s vision of what the night sky would look like from a planet at the heart of an ultracompact galaxy

These Super-Dense Galaxies Are Bursting With Stars

Life in these systems would have trouble starting, but the night skies would be spectacular to behold

Philae snapped this image of 67P over a mile from the comet's surface.

Philae Proves There's More to Comets Than Dust and Ice

The lander found organic compounds on comet 67P

Astrophysicist Dr. Brian May is recognized during a July 17, 2015 New Horizons science briefing at NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. May spent a long birthday weekend with the science team, attending two morning science plenaries, a meeting with the Student Dust Counter group, and working on stereo images of Pluto with the Geology, Geophysics and Imaging (GGI) team.

Queen Guitarist Brian May is Now a New Horizons Science Collaborator

As new images were transmitted from Pluto, the rock-star-turned-astrophysicist rubbed shoulders with his heroes

The Virgin Galactic SpaceShip2 (VSS Enterprise) glides toward Earth on its first test flight after being released from its WhiteKnight2 (VMS Eve) mothership over Mojave, California October 10, 2010. The craft was piloted by engineer and test pilot Pete Siebold from Scaled Composites.

Here's What Caused a Catastrophic Virgin Galactic Crash

Investigators say space plane didn’t have enough safeguards

New Horizons snapped this parting shot of Pluto on July 15, 2015.

New Horizons Snaps a Final Shot of Pluto

So long, dwarf planet!

Silly humans, Pluto is a dog, not a planet.

Of Course Some People Think NASA's Pluto Pictures Are Fake

Or at least doctored to exclude evidence of alien life.

Mission operations manager Alice Bowman shares the real secret behind the Pluto flyby in December 2014.

These Pictures Give a Rare Glimpse Into the Heart of the Pluto Flyby

Spanning the full 9.5 years of the mission to date, the images by Michael Soluri capture the people behind the epic close encounter

Turns out Pluto is covered in ice mountains up to 11,000 feet high.

Behold, the First Closeup Pictures From the Pluto Flyby Are Here

From fresh-faced moons to ice mountains, these are the visual surprises that hit the ground the day after the Pluto flyby

Exaggerating the colors on Pluto and Charon helps mission scientists see distinct terrains on each icy world.

Where Will the New Horizons Probe Go After Pluto?

The historic flyby may be over, but the spacecraft should still go on to study even smaller bodies on its path through the Kuiper belt

A color image of Pluto and its moon Charon captured on July 11, 2015 by New Horizons

New Horizons Probe Reveals That Pluto is Bigger Than Expected

But so far it still won’t be considered a "planet"

Swiss researchers want to build a spacecraft to eat their tiny satellites after they stop working.

This Pac-Man Spacecraft Will Devour a Satellite

Swiss researchers are designing a tiny satellite to eat their defunct cube satellite and clean up space junk

The hydrophobic bacteria that coat the ceilings of some dark lava caves produce a gorgeous golden sparkle.

How Bacteria Make This Underground, Awe-Inspiring Cave Shine Gold

These underground tubes at Lava Beds National Monument include sparkling gold ceilings that even NASA wants to study

NASA is starting to brainstorm where humans should land on Mars.

Where Should Humans Land on Mars? NASA Wants to Hear Your Suggestions

In October, the agency will hear proposals on where to put a Mars base

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