Discover how a rare "kiss and capture" impact gave rise to the Pluto-Charon binary system, shedding new light on the evolution and motion of icy worlds in the outer solar system. (CREDIT: NASA) ...

A region of active star formation in the constellation Ophiuchus is giving astronomers new insights into the conditions in which our own solar system was born. In particular, a new study of the ...

A research team led by University of Minnesota School of Physics and Astronomy Professor Yong-Zhong Qian uses new models and evidence from meteorites to show that a low-mass supernova triggered the ...

What can a newly discovered interstellar comet teach scientists about solar system formation and evolution? This is what a recent study presented at the National Astronomy Meeting 2025 hopes to ...

Astronomers have long sought to understand the processes that lead to the birth of planetary systems. Recently, a major breakthrough was achieved as scientists witnessed the early stages of planet ...

If you've ever wondered why we are here, then you can thank Jupiter for part of the answer. A new study from Rice University suggests that if it weren't for the gas giant, the Earth would have ...

Have you ever wondered just how big space really is? It’s huge. In fact, it’s astronomical! The Colorado Scale Model Solar System depicts the Sun, the planets, and the distances between them all on ...

Billions of years ago, in the frozen edges of the solar system, a violent impact shaped one of space’s oddest pairs. Instead of a typical planet-moon setup, Pluto and Charon became a binary system.