Beyond the atmosphere
The Solar System is just like our back yard respect to the vast plains of the Universe. It is a system of bodies of different nature and size that orbit around a medium-sized star. The use of the word “system” indicates the dynamic nature of the structure; in fact, the components interact with and influence each other in complex ways.
Currently we are in a privileged moment in the exploration of our planetary system. The present and past space missions have allowed us to get to know its outline and characteristics. In fact, a new image of this part of the universe has emerged, in which the Sun and planets are not the only protagonists. The Solar System also includes satellites, like the Moon, that orbit around the planets, asteroids, rocky bodies of different sizes that are mainly found grouped in belts, in addition to comets, cosmic dust, the light coming from the Sun, and above all, the gravitational force which acts like a glue and prevents these various parts from dispersing into outer space.
Special reports
-
20 July 2009
Man’s great leap
At 9:39 PM on the 20th of July 1969 (4:56 AM of the 21st of July Italian time)...
14 April 2022
From the Moon to Jupiter via Mars: Space exploration in 2022
The year 2022 will also be full of new space missions: from the Moon to Mars, to the moons of…
20 March 2022
Spring is back
While the temperatures of the last days of winter and the first shoots and buds on the trees had already…
-
22 January 2021
Are we children of stock cubes?
In primary school, we learned that life began in the "primordial soup", that is, in the warm ocean that covered…
20 December 2020
Twinkle twinkle little star
The Star of the Magi competes with the Angel for the place of honour on the ridge-pole of the stable.…
13 December 2020
St. Lucy’s night: a night of shooting stars
In Italy, St. Lucy’s night is known traditionally as “the shortest night of the year”, but due to the passage…
-
27 October 2020
Wet moon, lucky moon
On Monday 26 October 2020, NASA revealed a sensational discovery about our Moon: there is definitely water, also on its…
2 October 2020
The Sun is heating up again: a new solar cycle is beginning
Summer has just ended but the sun has yet to start to "warm up". Our star is a huge furnace…
16 September 2020
Is there life on Venus?
We call them "Martians" because, in science fiction, Mars has always been the natural home of extraterrestrials. In fact, of…
-
20 July 2009
Man’s great leap
At 9:39 PM on the 20th of July 1969 (4:56 AM of the 21st of July Italian time)...
14 April 2022
From the Moon to Jupiter via Mars: Space exploration in 2022
The year 2022 will also be full of new space missions: from the Moon to Mars, to the moons of…
-
20 March 2022
Spring is back
While the temperatures of the last days of winter and the first shoots and buds on the trees had already…
22 January 2021
Are we children of stock cubes?
In primary school, we learned that life began in the "primordial soup", that is, in the warm ocean that covered…
-
20 December 2020
Twinkle twinkle little star
The Star of the Magi competes with the Angel for the place of honour on the ridge-pole of the stable.…
13 December 2020
St. Lucy’s night: a night of shooting stars
In Italy, St. Lucy’s night is known traditionally as “the shortest night of the year”, but due to the passage…
-
20 July 2009
Man’s great leap
At 9:39 PM on the 20th of July 1969 (4:56 AM of the 21st of July Italian time)...
-
14 April 2022
From the Moon to Jupiter via Mars: Space exploration in 2022
The year 2022 will also be full of new space missions: from the Moon to Mars, to the moons of…
-
20 March 2022
Spring is back
While the temperatures of the last days of winter and the first shoots and buds on the trees had already…
From the Multimedia section
Facts
-
The comet’s tail
Comets are “dirty snowballs” that spend most of their life at the edges of the Solar System...
The definition of a dwarf planet
Astronomy, like all scientific disciplines, is continuously evolving...
-
The cosmic microwave background radiation
In 1965, while studying the ground noise of a radio antenna...
Cosmic collision
When two galaxies start to approach, the tidal attraction forces deform their structures...
-
The comet’s tail
Comets are “dirty snowballs” that spend most of their life at the edges of the Solar System...
-
The definition of a dwarf planet
Astronomy, like all scientific disciplines, is continuously evolving...
-
The comet’s tail
Comets are “dirty snowballs” that spend most of their life at the edges of the Solar System...
-
The definition of a dwarf planet
Astronomy, like all scientific disciplines, is continuously evolving...