A FIELD GUIDE TO THE UNIVERSE
From our planetary neighborhood to the edges of what we know. Explore space, follow the evidence, and bring your biggest questions.
Explore the universeSTART CLOSE. GO FURTHER.
Space is more than a beautiful view. It’s a way to understand where we are—and how we got here.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Eight planets orbit our star, the Sun. Rocky worlds fill the inner solar system; giant planets lie farther out. Moons, asteroids, and comets add their own stories.
Pluto is classified as a dwarf planet. It orbits the Sun and is nearly round, but it has not cleared its orbital neighborhood of other objects.
BEYOND OUR STAR
Stars produce energy through nuclear fusion. Gravity gathers stars, gas, dust, and dark matter into galaxies. Our Sun is one star in the Milky Way.
Yes. Light takes time to reach us, so we see distant objects as they were when their light began its journey. Farther away means farther back in time.
AT THE LIMITS
A black hole is a region where gravity is so strong that light cannot escape beyond its event horizon. We study its effects on nearby matter and light.
No. At a distance, their gravity behaves like that of other objects with the same mass. Objects can orbit a black hole without falling in.
HOW WE KNOW
Telescopes collect light. Spacecraft explore worlds. Scientists test explanations against observations—and revise them when new evidence arrives.
Discover why we do thisYOUR TURN TO WONDER
What have you always wanted to know about space? Send a question about planets, stars, galaxies, black holes, or anything beyond Earth.
Questions are saved for this science project. An answer or reply isn’t guaranteed.