Solar System

Our solar system consists of the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, as well as countless asteroids and comets, that are gravitationally bound to the Sun.

The Moon as it never was

Low-level clouds play surprise role in global warming

Artist's concept of the Proba-3 mission

Robotic Spaceflight, Solar System

Proba-3 launches, ready to eclipse the Sun

Graph of galaxy rotation showing dark matter's influence

Does dark matter affect our solar system?

Venus may never have had oceans

Illustration of the interior of Uranus

Uranus and Neptune have weird magnetic fields — this might be why

Chang’e 6 shakes up our knowledge of the Moon’s farside

Uranus, imaged by Voyager 2

Uranus may not have a weird magnetic field after all

Earth's elliptical orbit

How big is Earth’s orbit around the Sun?

Artist's impression of water on Mars

How carbon dioxide glaciers gave Mars liquid water

Cassini image of Titan

Could a methane crust be keeping Titan warm?

Human Spaceflight, Solar System

Here are the nine sites where Artemis 3 might land on the Moon

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Popular Observing Topics

Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

The Sun

Safely observing the Sun can be a fun and rewarding experience.

Credit: Ted Hauter.

The Moon

Our nearest celestial neighbor provides many great sights.

Planets

Targeting our solar system’s other worlds is well worth the effort.

Credit: Tony Hallas.

Deep-Sky Objects

Nebulae, star clusters, and galaxies are the night sky’s hidden gems.

Credit: Celestron.

Telescopes & Equipment

Explore the tools that can help you unlock the night sky.

Credit: Peter Michaud, Gemini Observatory.

Astrophotography

Capturing great celestial sights is both an art and a skill.

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