Explore 66 Planets Collections - Atlas Obscura
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Perhaps due to Japan's temperate climate, the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu is more gentle and benevolent than some other sun deities.
space exploration

How Can Myths Help Us Understand the Stars? AO Wants to Know.

Astrophysicist and folklorist Moiya McTier teaches science through storytelling.
Andrew Coletti March 20, 2025
Manzanares, Spain

Paseo del Sistema Solar

A scale model of our Solar System, where physical representations of the Sun and planets have been placed along a route in the local park.
An interferogram of Kathmandu shows the amount of land deformation after a 2015 quake: Each color represents about an inch of deformation. In areas that appear speckled, including the large area on the right, the ground deformed more than three feet.
science

Plate Tectonics Has a Surprise Silver Lining

Without this restless geologic process, which triggers destructive earthquakes, Earth would not be habitable.
Robin George Andrews May 29, 2024
Even from 140 million miles away, we are impacted by our smaller planetary neighbor.
mars

We Know the Moon Makes Tides, but What About Mars?

Recent research suggests that our planetary neighbor causes a stir deep under the ocean.
Robin George Andrews April 2, 2024
See it, hear it, and maybe even feel the planetary vibrations.
sounds

Space Makes Noise—And Here’s the Eerie Song an Eclipse Sings

Thought you could only experience the astronomical event with your eyes?
Sara Mellas March 19, 2024
Taken at West Lawn Park, near Chicago's Midway International Airport, this photo shows one of the city's many "Astronomer Joe" fan bases.
astronomy

‘Astro Joe’ Invites Chicagoans To Gaze at the Night Sky

Self-taught astronomer, Joe Guzman has been educating Chicago residents about space for decades.
Jonathan Feakins March 15, 2024
The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter was a test—and a first in the history of aviation
space exploration

Where the Little Helicopter on Mars Fits in the History of Aviation

If the past is any guide, things are going to take off quickly.
Robin George Andrews February 13, 2024
Clear winter skies offer exhilarating sights for stargazers, from auroras to the Milky Way; the right gear makes viewing them cozy and comfortable.
astronomy

A Holiday Gift Guide for Winter Stargazing and More

From telescopes to fun and functional hats, we've got ideas for every astro-enthusiast in your life this giving season.
Rebecca Boyle November 29, 2023
Mercury, an "empty little rock," appears as a small black dot as it crosses in front of the Sun.
astronomy

Mercury Retrograde Is Ending, and It’s Up to You How to Feel About It

The first planet from the Sun doesn't influence your love life or your luck, but it can help foster a cosmic connection.
Rebecca Boyle September 13, 2023
Saturn at its closest point to Earth in 2019.
astronomy

Saturn at Opposition Is an Unforgettable Stargazing Experience

The ringed planet will be at its closest point to Earth, and opposite the sun, this weekend.
Rebecca Boyle August 23, 2023
The Globe, also known as the Avicii Arena, inspired the Sweden Solar System.
maps

There’s an Entire Solar System Hiding In Sweden

Get ready for the most peculiar road trip that will help you understand the vastness and emptiness of the solar system—and Sweden.
Frank Jacobs July 14, 2023
A solitary tree flanked by Venus and Mars on the left, the Moon on the right.
astronomy

How to See Venus and Mars in the Summer Sky

Our nearest planetary neighbors can help you map your place in the solar system.
Rebecca Boyle June 7, 2023
Saturn
Washington, D.C.

American Geophysical Union Sidewalk Planet Display

A brass and marble scale model of the solar system embedded in the concrete.
Flagstaff, Arizona

Pluto Discovery Telescope

A planet-hunting astrograph built in the 1920s to seek out the so-called "Planet X" beyond Uranus.
Dark dust devil trails crisscross frigid dunes and gullies in the southern highlands of Mars.
science

Massive Dust Devils Leave Their Mark Across Eerie Dunes

Often associated with Earth’s hottest places, these whirling columns show up on all seven continents—and beyond.
Gemma Tarlach November 5, 2021
Scientists lofted balloons in summer 2019 to detect aftershocks of an earthquake in Ridgecrest, California.
space exploration

It Turns Out You Can Detect an Earthquake From a Balloon

Now scientists want to try the same trick on Venus.
Robin George Andrews June 25, 2021
Flagstaff, Arizona

Lowell Mausoleum

The final resting place of the businessman-turned-astronomer who helped discover Pluto stands near his observatory.
Turin, Italy

ROCC Mars Yard

Europe's simulation of the Martian surface uses soil from Mount Vesuvius.