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Planets & Solar System

Supermoon: What It Really Is, Why It Happens, and When to Catch the Next One

A supermoon is a full moon that lines up with the Moon's closest approach to Earth, making it look a little bigger and noticeably brighter than an ordinary full moon. At its best, a supermoon can appear up to 14% larger and about 30%...

What Is a Constellation? A Beginner’s Guide to the Sky’s 88 Star Patterns

A constellation is a group of stars that forms a recognizable pattern in the night sky, one we've given a name, usually after a mythological figure, animal, or object. There are 88 of them officially recognized, and together they map out the entire sky....
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Mars: Size, Distance From the Sun, and Orbit

Mars gets more attention than almost any other planet, and for good reason, it's...

Venus: Size, Distance From the Sun, and Its Backward Orbit

Venus is often called Earth's twin, and on paper, that nickname makes sense, its...

Neptune: Just How Far Is the Distance From the Sun to Neptune?

Neptune sits so far out in the solar system that it took mathematics, not...

Mercury: A Complete Look at the Closest Planet to the Sun

Mercury doesn't get nearly as much attention as flashier neighbors like Mars or Saturn,...

What Is the Kuiper Belt? The Icy Frontier Beyond Neptune

Most people's mental map of the solar system stops at Neptune, eight planets, done....

Astronomy 101: Exploring the Planets of the Solar System

Theres a reason almost every astronomy class, every science museum, and every kid's first...

How Long Is a Year on Saturn? The Ringed Planet’s Orbit Explained

Have you ever wondered what your birthday would look like if you lived on...

How Many Moons Does Saturn Have? The Number Keeps Climbing

If you learned your solar system facts in school anytime before the last couple...

What Are Saturn’s Rings Made Of? The Icy Truth Behind the Solar System’s Most Famous Feature

Ask a kid to draw a picture of a planet and theres a solid...

What Is Uranus’s Distance from the Sun? The Complete Guide to the Ice Giant’s Orbit

Of all the planets in our solar system, Uranus tends to get the least...

Why Does Saturn Have Rings? The Science Behind Its Stunning Appearance

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known," Carl Sagan once said. Looking at...

What Is Uranus’s Distance from the Sun? The Complete Guide to the Ice Giant’s Orbit

When you look up at the night sky Uranus is totally invisible to the...

Latest articles

Supermoon: What It Really Is, Why It Happens, and When to Catch the Next One

A supermoon is a full moon that lines up with the Moon's closest approach...

What Is a Constellation? A Beginner’s Guide to the Sky’s 88 Star Patterns

A constellation is a group of stars that forms a recognizable pattern in the...

How Many Planets Are There? The Real Answer Is Bigger Than Eight

There are eight planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn,...

What Is a Galaxy? A Simple Guide to the Great Islands of Stars

A galaxy is an enormous collection of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter, all...