September 7, 2024
1 Solar System Way, Planet Earth, USA
Solar System

Serendipity, a super-Jupiter and the salvation of VIPER

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The scientific community is coming together to save VIPER. Following NASA's announcement of its intention to Cancel the VIPER mission to the South Pole of the MoonThe Planetary Society helped circulate A letter signed by 1,000 people From the lunar and planetary science community to more than 200 key congressional staff members, the letter urges Congress to step in and highlights the importance of VIPER to future lunar exploration and scientific discovery. Pictured: An artist's impression showing NASA's VIPER rover rolling down a ramp from Astrobotic's Griffin lander. Image credit: Astrobotic.

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Defending rights works, and VERITAS is proof of that. By the end of 2022, NASA TRUE The mission to study Venus was defunded. Thanks to the help of space advocates, such as members of the Planetary Society, the mission is now back on track. Darby Dyar, the deputy principal investigator for VERITAS, joins This week's Planetary Radio to share the story.

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Why does Jupiter spin so fast? The largest planet in the Solar System rotates about once every nine hours and 50 minutes, an extremely fast rate for such a large object. Earth, by comparison, rotates at a relatively leisurely 23 hours and 56 minutes. Why does this happen? It can tell us a lot not only about the Solar System, but also about worlds orbiting other stars.

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Our online community of members is preparing for the August book club meeting. This month, members will read “Still As Bright: An Illuminating History of the Moon, from Antiquity to Tomorrow” by Christopher Cokinos. The author Join members in a virtual Q&A session on August 1 at 6:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) to talk about the book, her personal immersion in all things Moon, and how our natural satellite is intertwined with human culture and history. Not a member of the Planetary Society yet? Join today!

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