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Pluto became a dwarf planet on today’s date
Pluto is the largest of many small bodies in the outer solar system. That's partly why it was demoted from major planet to dwarf planet in 2006.
August 24, 2023
NASA is ‘all eyes’ on the ice giants … and you can help!
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft and Hubble Space Telescope will turn their eyes to the ice giants - Uranus and Neptune - in September. And NASA wants your help!
August 22, 2023
Voyager 2 confirms Neptune’s rings on this date in 1989
NASA's Voyager 2 confirmed the discovery of Neptune's rings on August 22, 1989, when it took images of a faint, continuous ring system around the planet.
August 22, 2023
Are the TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets habitable, or not?
In a new study, astronomers say that at least some of the 7 Earth-sized TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets could be habitable now, even if they didn't start out that way.
August 21, 2023
How far back in time can we see?
How far back in time can we see? Earendel is the farthest star we've seen. The cosmic microwave background reveals the universe's first light. Can we see more?
August 20, 2023
Surf’s up! Waves on heartbeat star are as tall as 3 suns
Giant waves on heartbeat star MACHO 80.7443.1718 are as tall as 3 suns, astronomers say. They give a new meaning to the phrase "surf's up!"
August 18, 2023
The colors of Earendel, farthest known star
The Webb space telescope has looked at the colors of Earendel, the most distant known star. The new data shows that the star likely has a redder companion star.
August 17, 2023
Ancient ‘honeycomb’ mud on Mars boosts chances for life
NASA's Curiosity rover has discovered ancient honeycomb-patterned mud on Mars. The now bone-dry mud is evidence of cyclic wet-dry periods in Mars' past.
August 16, 2023
The centuries-long effects of Saturn storms
A team of researchers has found that huge Saturn storms - megastorms much larger than hurricanes on Earth - can last for hundreds of years at a time.
August 13, 2023
How DART deflected an asteroid (but released a boulder swarm)
Thanks to DART, we minutely deflected the asteroid from its path in the name of planetary defense. But we also released a boulder swarm.
August 11, 2023
