Every once in a while, the outer solar system reminds us that we've only discovered a negligible portion of it, and that the vast majority is still full of surprises. The latest example of this is a ...

HELSINKI — China has published coordinated papers outlining dual missions to the solar system’s edge, suggesting the long-studied project is nearing formal approval. A lead paper on the design and key ...

Earth may owe some of its properties to a nearby star that blew up just as the solar system was forming. This pattern, which saw a supernova bubble envelop the sun and shower it with cosmic rays, may ...

Nothing manmade has reached further from Earth than the Voyager series of spacecraft. Hurtling away from the sun at 38,000 miles an hour, the duo have now traveled over 12 billion miles, with Voyager ...

Astronomers have spotted an intriguing cluster of objects in the Kuiper belt, the enormous, donut-shaped region of icy objects beyond the orbit of Neptune. This latest “inner kernel” was identified by ...

How fast and in which direction is our solar system moving through the universe? This seemingly simple question is one of the key tests of our cosmological understanding. A research team led by ...

Explore the immense challenges of traveling beyond our solar system as we examine the limits of distance energy and human biology. From the slow journey of Voyager 1 to ambitious concepts like laser ...

Illustration comparing the planets of the Solar System and the Sun on the same scale. The planets are shown to scale relative to each other but their distances are not. From left to right the bodies ...

The search for an unknown planet in our solar system has inspired astronomers for more than a century. Now, a recent study suggests a potential new candidate, which the paper’s authors have dubbed ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Dianne Plummer is an Energy Consultant and Certified Energy Manager. Rooftop solar has become one of the fastest-growing clean ...

While its star projector leaves a lot to be desired, the Science Can Solar System Planetary Projector is a fantastic educational tool for kids, with its solar system model, complete with talking ...

For the first time since 2008, two new planets are being added to one of northern Maine's most famous — and scientifically accurate — roadside attractions. Dwarf planets Haumea and Makemake are the ...