Planets
Latest about Planets
Space photo of the week: NASA sees a 'Platypus' move on Jupiter's moon Europa
By Jamie Carter published
The Juno spacecraft, which orbits Jupiter, has been imaging the giant planet's moon Europa and spotted apparent movement in its icy crust.
Mysterious 'puffy' planet may finally be explained by James Webb Space Telescope
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
The exoplanet WASP-107 b is one of the least dense planets ever discovered. New James Webb telescope observations may reveal how the mysterious world got so 'puffy'.
Lost photos suggest Mars' mysterious moon Phobos may be a trapped comet in disguise
By Abha Jain published
Previously unpublished photos of Mars' moon Phobos hint that the mysterious satellite may actually be a trapped comet — or perhaps just a piece of one, along with its twin moon Deimos.
Earth-size planet found orbiting nearby star that will outlive the sun by 100 billion years
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
An Earth-size planet discovered around a nearby star offers astronomers their first chance for exoplanetary geology.
Jupiter's elusive 5th moon caught crossing the Great Red Spot in new NASA images
By Keith Cooper published
NASA's Juno spacecraft has spotted the elusive fifth moon of Jupiter transiting the giant planet's Great Red Spot, giving astronomers a rare view of this small but intriguing natural satellite.
Strange, red-glowing planet may be 'melting from within,' scientists report
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Scientists have discovered a bizarre, red-glowing exoplanet named TOI-6713.01, which is loaded with active volcanoes and may be 'melting from within.'
James Webb telescope detects 1-of-a-kind atmosphere around 'Hell Planet' in distant star system
By Joanna Thompson published
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists have discovered evidence of a carbon-rich atmosphere around the hellish world 55 Cancri e. This marks the best evidence yet of an atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet.
Molecule responsible for robbing Venus of its water may finally have been identified
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A new water loss mechanism on Venus explains how the planet lost all its water, turning the planet from a potentially habitable world into the parched hellscape we know today.
Mars may have been more Earth-like than we thought, discovery of oxygen-rich rocks reveals
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
Newfound rocks on Mars suggest the planet may have once sported an oxygen-rich atmosphere, making it more Earth-like and hospitable to life than previously thought.
James Webb telescope spots wind blowing faster than a bullet on '2-faced planet' with eternal night
By Ben Turner published
New James Webb Space Telescope observations of the exoplanet WASP-43b reveal that the hot gas giant is tidally locked, meaning one side permanently faces its sun while the other always stares out into space.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.