Meet NASA scientist Lynn Carter, who studies the geology of planetary surfaces, in this video adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Science Center. Carter describes how scientists learn about Earth by studying other planets and moons. Objects such as the Moon have older surfaces, which serve as a record
Learn about Neptune's gravitational effect on dust contained in the Kuiper belt and discover how it could help astronomers look for planets around other stars. This video from NASA explores the idea that if would-be alien astronomers were looking for planets around the Sun, they could potentially de
Discover how scientists plan to use data from the GRAIL mission and a map of the Moon's gravitational field to learn about its internal structure. By comparing data about the Moon's gravity with information about its topography, scientists can gain a better understanding of the Moon's formation and
Learn about the Voyager 2 mission to Neptune in this video from NASA. Voyager 2 reached Neptune in 1989, 12 years after launch, and the flyby was the first and only time a spacecraft has visited Neptune. The planet appears blue because of the methane in its atmosphere. Voyager 2 discovered at least
Discover how the James Webb Space Telescope will help us better understand solar system formation in this video from NASA. Images from the Hubble Space Telescope show star-forming regions within the Eagle nebula: visible light images show vast clouds of gas and dust, and infrared images provide a gl
In this video from NASA, learn about the history of defining a planet, and examine how classification changes based on new knowledge. Our understanding of the solar system has evolved since the ancient Greeks, who first used the word planetes to distinguish the objects that moved against the backdro
Discover the instruments that Curiosity, a rover on Mars, used to gather and analyze soil samples in this video from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In 2012, Curiosity took its first scoop of Martian soil to test and analyze from an area called Rocknest. One of the project scientists describes how
Explore the exciting discoveries from two NASA missions to study comets, Stardust and Deep Impact, which collected valuable data about the nature of comets. The Stardust spacecraft was designed to capture dust particles from comet Wild 2 and deliver them to Earth for analysis. The Deep Impact missio
Explore the exciting discoveries from two NASA missions to study comets, Stardust and Deep Impact, which collected valuable data about the nature of comets. The Stardust spacecraft was designed to capture dust particles from comet Wild 2 and deliver them to Earth for analysis. The Deep Impact missio
Discover how and why Curiosity, the Mars rover, measures wind and radiation on Mars. Mars Science Laboratory scientist Ashwin Vasavada describes two of the instruments onboard the rover that study Mars' present environment. The Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) measures high-energy radiation from
Learn about the discovery of conditions that would have been suitable for life on ancient Mars. In 2013, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) science team released initial findings from its first drilled sample using the Curiosity rover. MSL scientist Joel Hurowitz describes the sedimentary rock sample
Learn about powerful cyclones seen at Saturn's north and south poles in this video from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. From a distance, Saturn appears to be serene; however, the Cassini spacecraft has provided detailed views that show the planet's active atmosphere. A giant cyclone (with a diamet
