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
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 dark features in Jupiter's atmosphere called "hot spots," and their connection to large-scale atmospheric waves. David Choi describes his research on hot spots clearings in Jupiter's atmosphere that appear bright in infrared light. Analysis of data from the Cassini mission in 2000 reveal ho
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
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
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
Explore whether Mars is alive -- geologically or biologically -- in this video from NASA. Satellite images and the recent discovery of water ice on the surface of Mars suggest liquid water is flowing beneath the surface, which could make it a habitable planet. The controversial discovery of methane
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
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
Learn about the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission to Mars in this video from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Mars does not have a global magnetic field like Earth but does have patches of magnetic fields. Scientists use magnetometers to study the planet's magnetic anomalies.
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
