Cosmic Perspectives from Amid the Stars:
Astronomy Blog

The Solar System—the gravitational system composed of the Sun and everything that orbits it—is like our local neighborhood in space. Nearly everything within the influence of the Sun’s gravity shares a common origin. But how did it all start? How did the Solar System form?

As of August 24, 2026, it will have been 20 years since Pluto was officially reclassified from planet to dwarf planet. While there are those who argue that Pluto didn’t deserve to be “demoted,” the history of Pluto and our perceptions of it paints a very different picture. So why isn’t Pluto considered a planet anymore?

Take a look into the early evening sky any night this summer, and you’ll see a bright light over the western horizon, just above where the sun set. It looks like an incredibly bright star, but it’s actually the planet Venus. Venus has often been called Earth’s sister planet. It’s a rocky planet with about the same size and mass, as well as being the closest planet to Earth, but the similarities end there. Venus is actually about as different from Earth as a rocky planet can g

Social media is buzzing with news of a so-called “planet parade” on Saturday, February 28. But before you get your hopes up, let’s separate the astronomical reality from the viral hype.