3 September 2024
Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system, has signs of an enormous ancient impact that would have redistributed its mass, changing its orientation in relation to Jupiter
30 August 2024
Brown dwarfs could be hiding dark matter inside their cores – if they are, there would be signs that could help us track it down
27 August 2024
The James Webb Space Telescope has spotted six strange worlds the size of planets that formed like stars – and the smallest may be building its own miniature solar system
6 August 2024
A planet orbiting extremely close to a white dwarf may have formed inside its star – this could be the origin of some of the most promising worlds beyond our solar system to search for life
29 July 2024
A mathematical model suggests there is an unusual region of space where objects can get pulled into the sun’s orbit – meaning we may have to redraw the boundary of the solar system
16 July 2024
The official definition of a planet, which famously saw Pluto demoted to dwarf planet status in 2006, doesn't really work for worlds outside of our solar system. Now there is a fix – but Pluto is still left out
26 June 2024
Some people find the scale of the universe existentially frightening, but here's why you should take it as a source of comfort
19 June 2024
The New Horizons mission to Pluto, now zooming out of the Kuiper belt, has made a discovery that could upend what we know about where the solar system ends
18 June 2024
The chemical composition of Pluto and Triton suggests they originated in the same region of the outer solar system before the latter was pulled into Neptune’s orbit
23 May 2024
A nearby planet named Gliese 12 b has an estimated surface temperature of 42°C (108°F), making it a promising candidate for liquid water and maybe life
