Lunar and Planetary Institute

09/28/2025

HiRISE: This HiRISE image features ridges in Northern Terra Sabaea on Mars. https://ow.ly/T0S350X2KCY

09/27/2025

The latest episode of Curious Universe features Caltech astronomer Katherine de Kleer. She explains how the Webb telescope is rewriting our understanding of objects within our solar system, from space rocks in the asteroid belt to the icy and volcanic moons of Jupiter and Saturn. https://ow.ly/v1AH50X1roC

09/26/2025

The program is now available for the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) scheduled for October 28–30 at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, with an opportunity for virtual participation. Registration fees are not being collected for this meeting, but registration is required and will be available through October 30. https://ow.ly/Qcpi50X2XYU

09/26/2025

Join us on October 3 for a professional development webinar about careers in planetary science and astrobiology! These multi-disciplinary fields include a variety of career options, ranging from academic to government, non-profit, and commercial positions. Panelists will discuss the differences in these careers, the varying expectations, and suggestions on ways to prepare for each. Learn more: https://ow.ly/Pngx50X2gBl

09/25/2025

Virtual Trips to Extreme Environments (VIRTEX) connects Boys & Girls Clubs with researchers who study unique extreme environments to increase student interest in STEM careers and STEM identity. Students meet virtually with NASA mentors who conduct exciting research in unique laboratory settings and at remote field locations. Through dialogue before, during, and after a virtual fieldtrip with these mentors, students develop an increased understanding of the motivations to do research, problem-solving skills, and career pathways, while learning more about unique NASA research and these extreme environments that their mentors work in. Find out more and apply online to participate as a Boys & Girls Club or as a mentor. https://ow.ly/Z7jn50X0uMM

09/24/2025

International Observe the Moon Night will take place on Saturday, October 4. Join fellow Moon enthusiasts and curious people worldwide to learn about lunar science and exploration, take part in celestial observations, and honor cultural and personal connections to the Moon. Find out how you can participate. https://ow.ly/yjQn50WZVxh

09/23/2025

HiRISE: This HiRISE image shows an impact crater in southern Elysium Planitia on Mars. https://ow.ly/9pBN50WXb8W

09/22/2025

Episode 162 of Small Steps, Giant Leaps examines exoplanets. planets outside our solar system. The number of detected exoplanets is 6000 and counting. How do exoplanets get discovered, what does it mean for astronomy, and how do researchers determine if a planet might be in the habitable zone of a star? The guest is Dr. Eric Mamajek, deputy chief scientist of the Exoplanet Exploration Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. https://ow.ly/KmS550WZsRR

09/21/2025

LPSC: Exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities are available for the 57th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC) that will be held March 16–20, 2026 in the The Woodlands, Texas, and virtually. LPSC offers a unique opportunity to connect with a global audience of researchers, mission planners, students, and industry leaders. Align your organization with scientific excellence, raise your visibility in the planetary science community, and demonstrate your support for advancing space research and exploration. For more information, reference the 2026 Exhibitor and Sponsorship Prospectus. The deadline to complete all exhibitor requirement steps is February 9, 2026, and the deadline to complete all sponsorship requirement steps is February 27, 2026. https://ow.ly/8OPX50WYIKz

09/20/2025

The Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month for September is "Bright-Toned Sulfate-Rich Salts on Mars: Evidence of Late Fluid Flows in Gale Crater" contributed by Dr. Anna Szynkiewicz, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee.

.bsky.social‬, Dr. Lonneke Roelofs, Dr. Frances E. G. Butcher and Dr. Susan J. Conway

09/19/2025

2025 Astronomy Day Houston will be held on Saturday, September 27, from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at the Insperity Observatory in Humble. Activities will include solar observing, a tour of the observatory, youth activities, and deep space observing. The event is free to attend, and there will be free parking. For event planning purposes, please register online. https://ow.ly/5Kwn50WWW1f

09/18/2025

TONIGHT: Join us tonight for a free public presentation by LPI Staff Scientist Dr. Laura Rodriguez. She will present "From Chemistry to Life: Clues from Earth, Experiments, and Space." Find out what we know about the earliest life on Earth, chemistry that may have been important for the emergence of life, and strategies to not only search for life, but to help unravel the conditions required for an origin of life event.

This event will take place in person at the Lunar and Planetary Institute and virtually beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT (8:30 p.m. ET/ 6:30 p.m. MT/ 5:30 p.m. PT). In-person attendees are encouraged to arrive early. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. A short reception with the speaker will follow the presentation. For those attending virtually, the event will be streamed live through the LPI YouTube channel. Make plans to attend. https://ow.ly/PAt750WO5l1