In the vast calm of the solar system, planetary orbits often appear orderly, stable, and insulated from the broader mechanics ...

This artist’s concept depicts one of the solar system’s inner planets slamming into Earth after being nudged on a collision course by a passing star. Such a world-shattering cataclysm is extremely ...

Stars passing close to the sun could cause planets to collide, including with Earth, or even be ejected as rogue planets, new simulations show. By Katherine Kornei If our species manages to hang on ...

Earth may owe some of its properties to a nearby star that blew up just as the solar system was forming. This pattern, which saw a supernova bubble envelop the sun and shower it with cosmic rays, may ...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Our solar system has been around for 4.6 billion years. While that sounds like a long time, it's ...