Solar System Exploration - NASA Science
WEBOur solar system orbits the center of the galaxy at about 515,000 mph (828,000 kph). It takes about 230 million years to complete one orbit around the galactic center. We call it the solar system because it is made up of our star, the Sun, and everything bound to …
What Is Climate Change? - NASA Science
WEBClimate change is a long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional and global climates. These changes have a broad range of observed effects that are synonymous with the term. Changes observed in Earth’s climate since the mid-20th century are driven by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning, …
Universe - NASA Science
WEBThe Pillars of Creation and the Interplay of Stars and Dust. Using data from Hubble, Webb, Spitzer, and Chandra, this scientific visualization explores the iconic Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula, and the various ways that stars and dust are intertwined in the process of star formation. Learn more.
Hubble Skymap - NASA Science
WEBThe Hubble Skymap puts the night sky at your fingertips any time of day. Roam the Milky Way to find a selection of galaxies, stars, nebulae and more, and click for a Hubble's-eye-view of each object. To explore the skymap, scroll, double click, or pinch/swipe to zoom in and out. Roll over an icon to see the object, click to zero in, and click ...
Black Holes - NASA Science
WEBBlack holes are among the most mysterious cosmic objects, much studied but not fully understood. These objects aren’t really holes. They’re huge concentrations of matter packed into very tiny spaces. A black hole is so dense that gravity just beneath its surface, the event horizon, is strong enough that nothing – not even light – can ...
Pluto Facts - Science@NASA
WEBPluto is about 1/5th the width of Earth. From an average distance of about 3.7 billion miles (5.9 billion kilometers), Pluto is about 39 times farther away than the Earth is from the Sun. From this distance, it takes sunlight 5.5 hours to travel from the Sun to Pluto.
Uranus Facts - Science@NASA
WEBUranus is a very cold and windy world. The ice giant is surrounded by 13 faint rings and 28 small moons. Uranus rotates at a nearly 90-degree angle from the plane of its orbit. This unique tilt makes Uranus appear to spin sideways, orbiting the Sun like a rolling ball. Uranus was the first planet found with the aid of a telescope.
The Big Bang - NASA Science
WEBDark Matter & Dark Energy. Galaxies. Stars. Black Holes. Overview The origin, evolution, and nature of the universe have fascinated and confounded humankind for centuries. New ideas and major discoveries made during the 20th century transformed cosmology – the term for the way we conceptualize and study the universe – although much remains ...
Solar System Facts - Science@NASA
WEB2. Our solar system orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy at about 515,000 mph (829,000 kph). 3. It takes our solar system about 230 million years to complete one orbit around the galactic center. 4. The hottest planet in our solar system is Venus, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun.
Extreme Weather and Climate Change - Science@NASA
WEBAs Earth’s climate changes, it is impacting extreme weather across the planet. Record-breaking heat waves on land and in the ocean, drenching rains, severe floods, years-long droughts, extreme wildfires, and widespread flooding during hurricanes are all becoming more frequent and more intense. Human actions since the Industrial Revolution, …