NASA WEB ·SETI Institute Dawn spacecraft has entered an approach phase in which it will continue to close in on Ceres, a Texas-sized dwarf planet never before visited by a spacecraft. Dawn launched in 2007 and is scheduled to enter Ceres orbit in March 2015.

Dawn spacecraft has entered an approach phase in which it will continue to close in on Ceres, a Texas-sized dwarf planet never before visited by a spacecraft. Dawn launched in 2007 and is scheduled to enter Ceres orbit in March 2015. 

NASA WEB · SETI Institute Happy New Year from all of us at SETI Institute! Photo taken by astronaut Terry Virts aboard the ISS.

Happy New Year from all of us at SETI Institute!

Photo taken by astronaut Terry Virts aboard the ISS. 

NASA WEB ·SETI Institute Planet hunters plot course for habitable worlds. Together, Kepler and WFIRST will work to produce a rough census of how many planets there are in our Galaxy.

Planet hunters plot course for habitable worlds. Together, Kepler and WFIRST will work to produce a rough census of how many planets there are in our Galaxy. 

NASA WEB ·SETI Institute Venus Gets Weirder: CO2 Oceans May Have Covered Surface Venus is often described as Earth's twin planet because it is the world closest to Earth in size, mass, distance and chemical makeup. However, whereas Earth is a haven for life, Venusis typically described as hellish, with a crushing atmosphere and clouds of corrosive sulfuric acid floating over a rocky desert surface hot enough to melt lead.,

Venus Gets Weirder: CO2 Oceans May Have Covered Surface

Venus is often described as Earth's twin planet because it is the world closest to Earth in size, mass, distance and chemical makeup. However, whereas Earth is a haven for life, Venusis typically described as hellish, with a crushing atmosphere and clouds of corrosive sulfuric acid floating over a rocky desert surface hot enough to melt lead.,