Did you know that IO, Jupiter’s moon, has hundreds of volcanoes that send up 190 mph plumes? Did you know that there was ice on the dark side of Mercury? Or that supersonic winds blow at more than 400 mph on Uranus? We hope you’re ready to tackle some big questions. Amazing images from satellites and the web telescope are leading to a record pace of new breakthrough discoveries in our own solar system as well as in more distal reaches of the universe. In January of 2023, for example, the web telescope confirmed the existence of an exoplanet for the first time — it’s almost exactly the same size as Earth and only 41 lightyears away. 

Planetary Science combines astronomy, geology, physics, biology, and chemistry – something for everyone! We will use lab studies, satellite images, and photos from the web telescope to explore planetary science.