The 44th annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical Society continued on Wednesday in Reno, Nevada (my final full day at the conference). Among the many talks were ones discussing the latest activities of...

The 44th annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society continued Tuesday in Reno, Nevada. Science talks ranged from studies of the atmospheres of planets as close as Mars and Jupiter to those hundreds of light...

There must be something about the fall weather that inspires astronomical outreach. Not only is it time again for Astronomy’s 2012 Out-of-this-world Award to begin accepting applications, but I’ve also just heard about another program that...

The 44th annual meeting of the Division for Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society started with a bang October 15. Planetary scientists from around the world are gathering at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Nevada, this week...

Astronomy enthusiasts have long thought their favorite subject represents the most beautiful science. All celestial targets, from Saturn’s spectacular rings to the Andromeda Galaxy’s magnificent spiral arms, put true natural splendor on display...

Most of us are pretty aware, at least on an intellectual level, of how big the universe is. Even light, traveling at the fastest possible speed something can go, takes eight minutes to reach Earth from the Sun’s surface. And that distance is nothing...