Planets

Find out everything there is to know about planets and stay updated on the latest planet news with the comprehensive articles, interactive features and planet images at LiveScience.com. Learn more about space and the solar system as scientists continue to make amazing discoveries about planets.

Related Topics: Our Amazing Planet, The Great American Solar Eclipse 2017, Mars

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A computer generated image on Maat Mons on Venus.

1st evidence of recent volcanic activity on Venus detected in groundbreaking study

By Sascha Pare published

Scientists have analyzed 30-year-old data from NASA's Magellan mission to Venus and detected the first-ever signs of volcanic activity on the planet, emanating from a giant crater called Maat Mons.

Three images taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2022 and 2023. The rover is the blue dot in the upper part of the leftmost image and bottom of the middle and right image. The first image was taken in March 2022 before the rover went into hibernation. The second two were taken in September 2022 and in February 2023.

China's Mars rover may be dead in the dust, new NASA images reveal

By Stephanie Pappas published

The Mars rover Zhurong hasn't moved since last fall, new orbiter images confirm, suggesting that the Chinese rover may be at the end of its lifespan.

An artist's impression of the dwarf planet Quaoar, located beyond Neptune

'Impossible' new ring system discovered at the edge of the solar system, and scientists are baffled

By Robert Lea published

A ring looping around the icy dwarf planet Quaoar is located much farther from its parent body than scientists thought was possible.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft captures Jupiter along with Io, one of the planet's at least 92 moons.

Jupiter officially has the most moons in the solar system, discovery of 12 new satellites confirms

By JoAnna Wendel published

Twelve newly confirmed moons bring Jupiter's total to 92, surpassing Saturn's 83 moons.

An image of Venus overlain with spectroscopy data collected by NASA's SOFIA observatory. If phosphine was present in the planet's atmosphere there would be three dips located where the PH3 symbol is on the graph.

Alien life on Venus? No chance, says new NASA study

By Harry Baker published

New research has debunked a 2020 study that claimed to have found the chemical phosphine, a potential biomarker for extraterrestrial life, in Venus' atmosphere.

A white swirl of charged gases detach from Comet Leonard's tail in December 2021. This image took top prize in the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.

Blazing comet tail is whipped by solar winds in astonishing astronomy photo

By Stephanie Pappas published

A never-to-be-seen-again view of Comet Leonard took top prize at the Royal Observatory Greenwich's Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.

distant exoplanet in a field of stars

James Webb telescope captures its first-ever direct image of an exoplanet

By Jamie Carter published

The faraway 'super-Jupiter' is the first exoplanet to be photographed in infrared light.

A new James Webb Space Telescope view of Jupiter shows the planet's faint silver rings, glowing aurora and shimmery storms. Two moons are visible to the planet's left.

Jupiter glows in stunning new James Webb telescope images

By Stephanie Pappas published

Stunning new images of Jupiter from the James Webb telescope show the planet's auroras and hazy clouds.

Frazil ice under the Antarctic ice shelf. This fluffy, pure "underwater snow" may make up much of the ice sheet of Jupiter's moon Europa.

Europa's icy shell may be made from pure underwater snow

By Stephanie Pappas published

The icy shell of Jupiter's moon Europa may be formed by extremely pure underwater snow.

Atoms consist of a nucleus made of protons and neutrons orbited by electrons.

Where do electrons get energy to spin around an atom's nucleus?

By Paul Sutter published

Quantum mechanics explains why the electrons can keep spinning indefinitely.

Planets Venus, Mars and Jupiter align over the Isle of Portland Dorset England in the U.K.

This is the best time to spot a rare alignment of five planets. Here's how to watch it.

By Stephanie Pappas published

The five visible planets in the solar system are lined up against the predawn sky. Here's how to see them.

Scientists looked at the heavy elements that make up Jupiter's core and lower atmosphere to learn more about how the biggest planet in our solar system formed.

Scientists find remains of cannibalized baby planets in Jupiter's cloud-covered belly

By Harry Baker published

A first-of-its-kind study into the inner workings of Jupiter has revealed that the gas giant fed on baby planets as it grew.

Planets Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Saturn and the Moon shine above Rome at dawn, while the Tianhe-1 Chinese space station crosses the sky on April 27, 2022.

5 planets are lining up in the night sky this month

By Stephanie Pappas published

The five visible planets in the solar system will be lined up across the predawn sky this month. Here's how to watch.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this sequence of the 2012 transit of Venus from space.

Venus crossed the sun's face 10 years ago. Most people alive will never see the sight again.

By Tom Kerss published

On the 10th anniversary of the last transit of Venus, find out what makes these events so special and what else to look out for during the long wait for the next one.

The dramatic outburst of Comet 17P/Holmes, seen in October 2007.

Watch the biggest-ever comet outburst spray dust across the cosmos

By Stephanie Pappas published

The dust trail from the largest comet outburst on record will be visible to amateur astronomers in late July 2022.

The image of Earth in space like a blue marble highlighted the planets fragility and the beauty of Earth.

How did Earth get its name?

By Elizabeth Howell published

Whether you call our planet the Earth, the world or a terrestrial body, all of these names have an origin story deep in history.

A photo of Neptune taken by Voyager 2 on August 16, 1989.

Neptune: The farthest planet from our sun

By Patrick Pester published

Neptune is the farthest planet from the sun in our solar system and home to blistering winds and diamond rain.

Mercury in space surrounded by stars. Image elements furnished by NASA.

Mercury: Facts about the smallest planet

By Patrick Pester published

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, the fastest planet orbiting the sun and the smallest planet in our solar system.

A satellite image showing planet Earth at night.

Earth: Facts about the Blue Planet

By Adam Mann published

Learn all about Earth, from how our planet formed to what it's made of to why life exists on our blue planet.

Planets Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Saturn and the Moon shine above Rome at dawn, while the Tianhe Chinese space station crosses the sky on April 27, 2022.

ISS and China's space station photobomb image of 4 planets aligned in the sky

By Jeanna Bryner published

The International Space Station and China's space station photobombed a four-planet line-up in the early morning sky for Italian astrophysicist Gianluca Masi.