The Sun, our Solar System’s star - The Planetary Society
WEBThe Sun is a gigantic, roiling ball of plasma. Nuclear fusion in its core produces heat and light, ultimately powering life as we know it on Earth. Solar storms frequently launch plasma and radiation into the Solar System. If an intense storm hit Earth, it could damage satellites, power grids, and communication networks.
Solar System History 101 - The Planetary Society
WEBJan 14, 2021 · Solar System History 101 Our solar system is a wondrous place. Countless worlds lie spread across billions of kilometers of space, each dragged around the galaxy by our Sun like an elaborate clockwork.
What Is the Habitable Zone? - The Planetary Society
WEBOut of all the planets, moons, asteroids, and comets in our solar system, only Earth has liquid water on the surface and is capable of supporting life—at least as far as we know. That’s because our planet sits in the “habitable zone” of our solar system. It’s far enough from the Sun so that all our water doesn’t boil away, but close enough so that it doesn’t …
Solar System Timeline - The Planetary Society
WEBSolar System Timeline Where did we come from? How did the planets, asteroids, comets, and small worlds in our solar system come to be? When did it all happen? These are some of the core questions that drive us to explore other worlds. The below timeline shows some key events that led to our existence on Earth, from the creation of the universe to …
Our Sun - The Planetary Society
WEBOur Sun. Our Sun NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this view of the Sun in 2016. NASA / SDO / AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams / Edited by The Planetary Society. Most NASA images are in the public domain. Reuse of this image is governed by NASA's image use policy. Explore related images: Bruce Murray Space Image Library, The Sun, …
Should you be worried about solar storms? - The Planetary Society
WEBMar 26, 2024 · Should you be worried about solar storms? The danger of a major solar storm is now at its highest in over a decade. As the Sun reaches the peak of its activity cycle, the odds of such a storm hitting Earth rise along with its associated risks, including blackouts, disabled satellites, and damaged cell phones and GPS networks. In the most …
Earth, our home planet - The Planetary Society
WEBEarth, the only planet known to support life, offers liquid water, an oxygen-rich atmosphere, and protection from the Sun’s harmful radiation.
Meet the Solar System's five official dwarf planets - The Planetary …
WEBApr 19, 2023 · Meet the Solar System's five official dwarf planets Our Solar System is filled with diverse and wondrous worlds. From asteroids to gas giants, we’ve sent spacecraft to objects of all shapes and sizes, yet there is still much more to explore.
Is Planet X/Planet Nine real? - The Planetary Society
WEBApr 2, 2024 · Is Planet X/Planet Nine real? Although they may sound like science fiction worlds, Planet X and Planet Nine are both hypothetical planets that have been thought to exist in our Solar System.
Why Aren't There More Earth-Like Planets in our Solar System?
WEBAug 19, 2020 · TRAPPIST-1 habitable zone compared to our Solar System The red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 has seven known Earth-sized planets closer to their star than Mercury is to our Sun. Our Sun is too hot for liquid water to exist on the surface at that distance. But TRAPPIST-1 is a cooler red dwarf star, placing exoplanets e, f, and g in the habitable …