Now you see me…

The Great Red Spot may be younger than train travel. Using observations dating back to the invention of the telescope, a team of scientists concluded that Jupiter’s famous storm has probably only been around for about 200 years. Though astronomers in the Renaissance did report seeing a spot on the giant planet, the researchers claim it was a different storm that faded away around the turn of the 19th century. Their simulations of Jupiter’s atmosphere support the idea. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Alexis Tranchandon / Solaris.

A seeming crisis aboard the International Space Station gave space fans around the world a scare. NASA’s space station livestream accidentally aired audio of ground team members directing aid to an astronaut with severe decompression sickness, suggesting they be put in a space suit pumped with pure oxygen and even mentioning an emergency evacuation. NASA later clarified the audio was from a drill. Crew members were, in fact, likely asleep at the time.

Rovers and orbiters on Mars have recorded multiple strong solar storms over the past month. A gigantic X12-class flare, followed by a coronal mass ejection, were both particularly powerful. They caused aurorae, briefly shut down a camera aboard NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter, and showed up on the Curiosity rover’s navigation cameras as streaks and specks from charged particles. It was the biggest radiation surge Curiosity had ever recorded in its 12 years on Mars.

Planetary defense means knowing asteroids. Whether or not we can deflect a potentially dangerous asteroid could come down to how well we understand what’s barreling toward us. Our new guides bring you the latest on what asteroids are made of — everything from solid metal and loose rubble to the building blocks of life on Earth — as well as the oddities of binary asteroid systems, which offer a special challenge to planetary defense. Image credit: NASA / Goddard / University of Arizona / Edited by The Planetary Society

Europe is back on track to land a rover on Mars. ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover was originally set to launch in 2022 to look for signs of life on the red planet, but it was temporarily put on hold after Russia — which was to provide science instruments and the lander — invaded Ukraine. Read about the mission’s checkered history and learn how a collaboration with NASA has put Rosalind Franklin back on its way to the launchpad.

The Sun is nearing the peak of its activity cycle. Gigantic solar storms have recently hit both Earth and Mars. On this week’s Planetary Radio, Nour Rawafi, project scientist for NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, shares how the first spacecraft ever to touch the Sun is helping build the scientific understanding we need to live safely with our star.

Calling all designers! What’s your vision for our magazine? The Planetary Report has been an integral part of The Planetary Society since our very earliest days, and it’s due for a makeover. We’ve opened up a public call for designers to reimagine the look and feel of our quarterly member magazine. If this is you, we want to hear from you! This call is open to qualified individuals and organizations from anywhere in the world. Learn more.