Latest Planets News
Severe solar storm could stress power grids even more as US deals with major back-to-back hurricanes
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A severe solar storm is headed to Earth that could stress power grids even more as the U.S. deals with major back-to-back hurricanes, space weather forecasters said Wednesday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a severe...
A rare comet brightens the night skies in October
NEW YORK (AP) — Prepare to spot a rare, bright comet. The space rock is slinging toward Earth from the outer reaches of the solar system and will make its closest pass on Saturday. It should be visible through the end of October, clear skies permitting. Comet...
A spacecraft is on its way to a harmless asteroid slammed by NASA in a previous save-the-Earth test
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A spacecraft blasted off Monday to investigate the scene of a cosmic crash. The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft rocketed away on a two-year journey to the small, harmless asteroid rammed by NASA two years ago in a dress rehearsal for the day a...
NASA switches off instrument on Voyager 2 spacecraft to save power
NEW YORK (AP) — To save power, NASA has switched off another scientific instrument on its long-running Voyager 2 spacecraft. The space agency said Tuesday that Voyager 2's plasma science instrument — designed to measure the flow of charged atoms — was powered down in late...
NASA's Webb telescope detects traces of carbon dioxide on the surface of Pluto's largest moon
NEW YORK (AP) — NASA's Webb Space Telescope has identified new clues about the surface of Pluto's largest moon. It detected for the first time traces of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on the surface of Charon, which is about half Pluto's size. Previous...
Earth will have a temporary 'mini moon' for two months
WASHINGTON (AP) — Earth's moon will soon have some company — a “mini moon.” The mini moon is actually an asteroid about the size of a school bus at 33 feet (10 meters). When it whizzes by Earth on Sunday, it will be temporarily trapped by our planet's gravity and orbit the...
The northern lights might again be visible in the US as solar activity increases
The aurora borealis is continuing to dazzle viewers across the northern United States and Canada. It's been a good year for seeing auroras — the colorful sky displays also known as northern lights — even in lower latitudes. That's because of increased electromagnetic activity as...
Scientists detect longest pair of jets streaming from a supermassive black hole
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have discovered the longest pair of jets streaming from a black hole in a distant galaxy. The jets shooting hot plasma are the largest ever spotted – about as long as 140 Milky Way galaxies lined up end-to-end. “This one has managed to...
Catch a partial lunar eclipse during September’s supermoon
NEW YORK (AP) — Get ready for a partial lunar eclipse and supermoon, all rolled into one. The spectacle will be visible in clear skies across North America and South America Tuesday night and in Africa and Europe Wednesday morning. A partial lunar eclipse happens...
NASA spacecraft to study Jupiter moon's underground ocean cleared for October launch
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA on Monday approved next month’s launch to Jupiter’s moon Europa after reviewing the spacecraft’s ability to withstand the intense radiation there. Questions about the reliability of the transistors on the Europa Clipper spacecraft arose...
