For the longest time, space seemed like just a big, nearly empty place. However, as we learned more about the universe around us, we discovered other planets orbiting our Sun, and even planets that orbit other stars trillions of miles away. In this video, discover how NASA has explored the space beyond Earth and our solar system with spacecraft like Voyagers 1 and 2, and how we’ve discovered thousands of planets outside of our solar system — also called exoplanets — with space telescopes like Kepler and TESS.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight CenterMusic: "Virtual Memory" from Killer TracksYouTube linkComplete transcript available.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_still.jpg (1920x1080) [506.3 KB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_still_print.jpg (1024x576) [223.7 KB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_still_searchweb.png (320x180) [101.1 KB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_still_thm.png (80x40) [7.3 KB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_prores.mov (1920x1080) [2.2 GB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_HQ.mp4 (1920x1080) [412.1 MB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_LQ.mp4 (1920x1080) [211.8 MB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version_prores.webm (1920x1080) [22.6 MB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version.en_US.srt [3.9 KB] || TESS_Voyager_final_full_version.en_US.vtt [4.0 KB] ||

NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite has confirmed the tiniest planet in its catalog so far — one of three discovered around a bright, nearby star called L 98-59. As shown in the illustrations in this video, all could occupy the “Venus zone,” the range of distances from the star where a Venus-like atmosphere is possible. The outermost planet also has the potential for a Neptune-like atmosphere. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterMusic: "Autumn Rush" from Killer TracksComplete transcript available.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || tess_smallest_planet_preview.jpg (1920x1080) [288.5 KB] || tess_smallest_planet_preview_print.jpg (1024x576) [118.1 KB] || tess_smallest_planet_preview_searchweb.png (320x180) [53.2 KB] || tess_smallest_planet_preview_web.png (320x180) [53.2 KB] || tess_smallest_planet_preview_thm.png (80x40) [5.5 KB] || tess_smallest_planet_HQ.mp4 (1920x1080) [245.9 MB] || tess_smallest_planet_LQ.mp4 (1920x1080) [190.0 MB] || tess_smallest_planet_prores.mov (1920x1080) [1.3 GB] || tess_smallest_planet_HQ.webm (1920x1080) [14.8 MB] || tess_smallest_planet.en_US.srt [1.9 KB] || tess_smallest_planet.en_US.vtt [1.9 KB] ||

This animation illustrates a preliminary model of the Thuban system, now known to be an eclipsing binary thanks to data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The stars orbit every 51.4 days at an average distance slightly greater than Mercury’s distance from the Sun. We view the system about three degrees above the stars’ orbital plane, so they undergo mutual eclipses, but neither is ever completely covered up by its partner. The primary star is 4.3 times bigger than the Sun and has a surface temperature around 17,500 degrees Fahrenheit (9,700 C), making it 70% hotter than our Sun. Its companion, which is five times fainter, is most likely half the primary’s size and 40% hotter than the Sun. Thuban, also called Alpha Draconis, is located about 270 light-years away in the northern constellation Draco.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Chris Smith (USRA)Watch this video on the NASA.gov Video YouTube channel. || partially_eclipsing_binary_still.jpg (1920x1080) [236.1 KB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_still_print.jpg (1024x576) [95.3 KB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_still_searchweb.png (320x180) [57.6 KB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_still_web.png (320x180) [57.6 KB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_still_thm.png (80x40) [5.1 KB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_HQ.mp4 (1920x1080) [68.5 MB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_LQ.mp4 (1920x1080) [36.6 MB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_prores.mov (1920x1080) [294.3 MB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_LQ.webm (1920x1080) [3.4 MB] || partially_eclipsing_binary_LQ.en_US.vtt [64 bytes] ||

This all-sky mosaic was constructed from 912 TESS images. By late October 2022, when the last image of this mosaic was captured, TESS had discovered 266 exoplanets and 4,258 candidates. The north and south ecliptic poles – the ends of imaginary lines extending above and below the center of Earth's orbit around the Sun – lie at the top and bottom of the image. The Andromeda galaxy is the small, bright oval near the upper right edge. The Lage Magellanic Cloud can be seen along the bottom edge just left of center. Above and to the left of it shine the Small Magellanic Cloud and the bright star cluster 47 Tucanae. Molleweide projection. Credit: NASA/MIT/TESS and Ethan Kruse (University of Maryland College Park) || TESS_NandS_12-2022.png (15000x7500) [85.3 MB] || TESS_NandS_12-2022.jpg (15000x7500) [43.4 MB] || TESS_NandS_12-2022_5k.jpg (5000x2500) [4.0 MB] || TESS_NandS_12-2022_5k_print.jpg (1024x512) [104.0 KB] || TESS_NandS_12-2022_5k_searchweb.png (320x180) [55.7 KB] || TESS_NandS_12-2022_5k_thm.png (80x40) [4.8 KB] ||

Venus transits the Sun on June 5, 2012 as observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory in 171 Angstrom light.Credit: NASA/SDO || Venus_Transit_SDO_1080.00049_print.jpg (1024x576) [158.1 KB] || Venus_Transit_SDO_1080.mov (1920x1080) [62.9 MB] || Venus_Transit_SDO_1080.webm (1920x1080) [1.0 MB] ||

This visualization shows TESS's first field image and information about three early exoplanet detections. The locations of Pi Mensae c, LHS 3844b, and HD21749b appear, as well as information about the systems and animations of what the planets might look like. || TESS_First_Planets_Still_print.jpg (1024x576) [174.7 KB] || TESS_First_Planets_Still.jpg (3840x2160) [2.1 MB] || TESS_First_Planets_Still_searchweb.png (320x180) [92.2 KB] || TESS_First_Planets_Still_thm.png (80x40) [6.5 KB] || TESS_First_Planet_Locations-1080p.mov (1920x1080) [90.9 MB] || TESS_First_Planet_Locations-1080p.webm (1920x1080) [5.8 MB] || TESS_First_Planet_Locations-4k.mp4 (3840x2160) [114.1 MB] || TESS_First_Planet_Locations-4K.mov (3840x2160) [118.8 MB] || TESS_First_Planet_Locations_ProRes_3840x2160.mov (3840x2160) [3.4 GB] || TESS_First_Planet_Locations-4k.hwshow [490 bytes] ||

This infographic illustrates key features of the TOI 270 system, located about 73 light-years away in the southern constellation Pictor. The three known planets were discovered by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite through periodic dips in starlight caused by each orbiting world. Insets show information about the planets, including their relative sizes, and how they compare to Earth. Temperatures given for TOI 270’s planets are equilibrium temperatures, calculated without the warming effects of any possible atmospheres. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Wiessinger || TOI_270_Infographic_Final_print.jpg (1024x576) [64.1 KB] || TOI_270_Infographic_Final.png (5760x3240) [17.4 MB] || TOI_270_Infographic_Final.jpg (5760x3240) [2.0 MB] || TOI_270_Infographic_Final-halfsize.png (2880x1620) [5.4 MB] || TOI_270_Infographic_Final-halfsize.jpg (2880x1620) [484.0 KB] || TOI_270_Infographic_Final_searchweb.png (320x180) [47.7 KB] || TOI_270_Infographic_Final_thm.png (80x40) [4.9 KB] ||

Take a tour through TOI 700, a planetary system 100 light-years away in the constellation Dorado. One of the system’s residents is TOI 700 d, the first Earth-size habitable-zone planet discovered by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.Music: "Family Tree" from Universal Production MusicWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available. || TOI_700d.jpg (1920x1080) [397.4 KB] || TOI_700d_print.jpg (1024x576) [128.3 KB] || TOI_700d_searchweb.png (320x180) [65.8 KB] || TOI_700d_thm.png (80x40) [5.5 KB] || 13496_TOI700_Earth-size_1080.webm (1920x1080) [25.7 MB] || 13496_TOI700_Earth-size_1080.mp4 (1920x1080) [229.2 MB] || 13496_TOI700_Earth-size_1080_Best.mp4 (1920x1080) [394.2 MB] || TESS_TOI700_Earth-size_SRT_Captions.en_US.srt [4.4 KB] || TESS_TOI700_Earth-size_SRT_Captions.en_US.vtt [4.4 KB] || 13496_TOI700_Earth-size_ProRes_1920x1080.mov (1920x1080) [2.7 GB] ||

This plot combines the TESS northern and southern mosaics to show the extent of its primary mission survey. The yearlong southern panorama (bottom) was completed in July 2019, and the northern imaging was completed in July 2020. The prominent glowing band is the Milky Way, our galaxy seen edgewise. The ecliptic – the plane of Earth's orbit and the apparent yearly path of the Sun through the stars – runs straight across the middle of the map. Credit: NASA/MIT/TESS and Ethan Kruse (USRA) || TESS_North-South_Mollweide_Ecliptic_15k.jpg (15000x7500) [40.4 MB] || TESS_North-South_Mollweide_Ecliptic_1080.jpg (2160x1080) [821.7 KB] || TESS_North-South_Mollweide_Ecliptic_7k.jpg (7500x3750) [9.9 MB] || TESS_North-South_Mollweide_Ecliptic_1080_print.jpg (1024x512) [146.3 KB] || TESS_North-South_Mollweide_Ecliptic_1080_searchweb.png (320x180) [66.5 KB] || TESS_North-South_Mollweide_Ecliptic_1080_thm.png (80x40) [7.2 KB] || TESS_North-South_Mollweide_Ecliptic_30k.png (30000x15000) [135.8 MB] ||

Watch to learn about TOI 700 e, a newly discovered Earth-size planet with an Earth-size sibling. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Robert Hurt/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterMusic Credit: Dream Box by Carl David HarmsWatch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel. || Title_Card_TOI700_e.jpg (1920x1080) [1.2 MB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700.00250_print.jpg (1024x576) [50.0 KB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700.00250_searchweb.png (320x180) [50.3 KB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700.00250_thm.png (80x40) [3.4 KB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700.mp4 (1920x1080) [69.1 MB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700.webm (1920x1080) [7.7 MB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700_ProRes.mov (1920x1080) [948.8 MB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700.en_US.srt [1.1 KB] || Second_Habitable_World_in_TOI700.en_US.vtt [1.1 KB] ||