You are here

Weather and Atmospheric Phenomena

The layers of gas that are gravitationally bound above the surface of a planet, moon, or outer layers of a star.

Resources

Earth

Earth February 10, 2016

Radio Programs

More Neptune Taking a spin on a giant planet September 4, 2017

Neptune at Opposition Turning a giant planet blue September 3, 2017

Hot Weather Hot weather on failed stars July 20, 2017

Twilight Dark, darker, and darkest skies June 18, 2017

Saturn at Opposition III Sculpting sand dunes on a cold world June 14, 2017

Saturn at Opposition II Lighting up the skies on another planet June 13, 2017

Moon and Jupiter White ovals and red spots June 3, 2017

Moon and Mars Weather conditions on another planet December 4, 2016

More Neptune at Opposition Spotting a blemish on a giant planet September 2, 2016

Neptune at Opposition A blue marble far from the Sun September 1, 2016

Alien Weather Extreme weather on an alien world April 7, 2016

Jupiter at Opposition II Giant storms for a giant planet March 8, 2016

Cloudy Skies Cloudy skies across the solar system December 27, 2015

Moon and Mars A frozen treat on the Red Planet December 4, 2015

Neptune at Opposition II Cranking up the winds on a distant planet August 30, 2015

Moon and Uranus Pointing out a neglected giant August 3, 2015

Noctilucent Clouds Electric-blue clouds in the twilight July 26, 2015

Moon and Saturn Giant storms on a giant world June 27, 2015

Day and Night Day and night on distant planets June 10, 2015

Solar Nap The Sun takes a long nap April 29, 2015

Triple Play II Two very different neighbors February 19, 2015

Hot Weather Hot weather on a distant planet December 25, 2014

Making Methane Too much methane on a big moon November 11, 2014

Changing Seasons Changing seasons on a cold world November 10, 2014

Cloudy Skies Cloudy skies on a cold moon November 9, 2014

Neptune at Opposition Lining up a blue-green giant August 26, 2014

Great Red Spot III The case of the disappearing red spot August 19, 2014

Great Red Spot II Getting the red out of Jupiter’s “eye” August 18, 2014

Great Red Spot Staring into the eye of Jupiter August 17, 2014

Moon and Mars Coloring the Martian sky August 1, 2014

Moon and Jupiter Watching the twilight fade away June 28, 2014

More Moon and Mars A planetary deepfreeze June 6, 2014

More Saturn at Opposition Churning the seas of another world May 12, 2014

Mars at Opposition II Catching the sunrise on Mars April 7, 2014

More Moon and Venus Probing an unpredictable polar vortex March 26, 2014

Moon and Saturn Plunging into a turbulent world January 23, 2014

Hot Weather Hot weather on failed stars January 12, 2014

Blue-Hot Planet A visit to another blue planet December 1, 2013

Whistlers Listening for stormy skies September 18, 2013

Venus and Saturn Windy planets in the evening sky September 15, 2013

Neptune at Opposition Probing deep into a planet’s atmosphere August 25, 2013

Moon and Saturn Changing seasons on two worlds June 18, 2013

Moon and Saturn A giant storm that kept on going January 4, 2013

Cold Oasis Filling up a desert oasis November 21, 2012

‘Young’ Moon A moon that doesn’t look its age November 20, 2012

Moon and Saturn Stirring up a giant hurricane November 10, 2012

Moon and Jupiter Cloudy skies on a giant planet October 31, 2012

Moon and Companions The stars foretell the weather September 5, 2012

Dune Worlds Giant sand dunes on alien worlds August 30, 2012

Moon and Planets Admiring the twilight on another world July 23, 2012

Moving Clouds Clouds that move with the seasons May 5, 2012

Humid Skies Measuring the humidity on a cold world May 4, 2012

Titan Cold rains and dark lakes on a chilly world May 1, 2012

Summertime The good old summertime March 29, 2012

Warming Mars Warming up a desert planet February 18, 2012

Planetary Flashes Lighting up the clouds of Venus February 6, 2012

Featured Images

Noctilucent clouds over the north pole

Glowing Skies July 29, 2017

Hot Weather July 20, 2017
Twilight over McDonald Observatory

A Civil Sky June 18, 2017
Voyager 1 view of white oval storms on Jupiter

Jovian Pearls June 3, 2017
Sunset over the Davis Mountains

Earliest Sunsets December 1, 2016
Jupiter above Europa

Water World July 8, 2016
Saturn's giant hexagon

Planetary Geometry May 30, 2016
Jupiter's Great Red Spot and surrounding cloud bands

Deep Surface May 15, 2016
Cassini view of a giant storm in Saturn's northern hemisphere

Stormy Skies June 28, 2015
Sunset at Gale Crater, Mars, April 2015

Blue Skies May 14, 2015
Cassini view of Jupiter from 6 million miles

Turbulent Giant February 6, 2015
Earliest sunsets in December

Early Sunsets December 15, 2014
Sunlight glints off a hydrocarbon lake on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn

World of Lakes November 11, 2014
Cassini view of a crescent Titan, largest moon of Saturn

Hazy Skies November 9, 2014

Through the Glow September 16, 2014

Fading Away June 29, 2014
Artist's concept of early morning fog, clouds, and frost on Mars

Morning Fog April 8, 2014
Venus Express movie showing south polar vortex

Double Vortex March 27, 2014
Artist's concept of weather on a brown dwarf

Hot Rain January 8, 2014
A Cassini view of the hexagonal cloud pattern surround Saturn's south pole

Planetary Cyclops December 1, 2013
Lightning behind space shuttle Discovery

Just Whistle September 19, 2013
Clouds above the south pole of Titan

Titanic Vortex June 19, 2013
Ligeia Mare, one of the largest lakes on Titan, the largest moon of Saturn

Storms Ahead? May 22, 2013
Cassini view of Saturn's north pole

Eye of the Storm May 2, 2013
Cassini view of a crescent Titan

Enigmatic Moon November 19, 2012
South polar vortex on Saturn, seen by Cassini

Saturnian Vortex November 11, 2012
Voyager 1 view of Jupiter's cloudsk

Artistic Clouds November 1, 2012
A flare on the surface of the star HD 189733 blasts away the atmosphere of an or

Zapped! June 29, 2012
Artist's concept of a dark storm on the brown dwarf 2MASS 2139

Stormy Skies January 11, 2012
Composite view of a giant storm on Saturn from the Cassini spacecraft

Stormy Skies August 31, 2011
Lightning strikes near space shuttle Endeavour, April 28, 2011

Close Call May 2, 2011
Storm clouds swirl through Saturn's atmosphere in an image from Cassini

Artistic Storm March 28, 2011
A thick dust storm blows across Mars in this image from Mars orbit.

Dusty Skies July 12, 2010

Saturn's Hexagon January 5, 2010