The Universe

We are in the midst of the greatest era of space discovery. 21st century spacecraft and sophisticated imaging technology are venturing into un-chartered territory every day–and much of the extraordinary phenomenon is happing right in our own cosmic backyard. Take an exhilarating, unprecedented exploration of the seven most amazing wonders of our solar system. Our virtual tour begins with a trip to Enceladus, one of Saturn’s outer moons, where icy geysers spout from its surface. Then venture to Saturn’s famous rings, which contain mountain ranges that rival the Alps. Next dive into the eye of the biggest storm in the solar system–Jupiter’s Great Red Spot. Soar through the Asteroid Belt, containing millions of leftover rocks from the formation of the solar system. Trek up Mount Olympus, the largest volcano, located on Mars. Have a close encounter with the searing surface of the sun, and finish the journey by exploring our home planet Earth.

In the last few years, the Red Planet has yielded up many new clues that life may have once existed there…and may even exist there today. There is now have proof that water once flowed on the surface, that Mars once had lakes, and that the frozen poles are mostly water, not carbon dioxide as previously thought. Mars has snow–an aurora–and lightning generated by dust storms. Most intriguing of all are the seasonal plumes of methane that just may point to bacteria living below the surface.

It bursts from the sun with the power of ten thousand nuclear weapons… and when it hits our planet, it could create the largest disaster in recorded history. A magnetic storm from the sun could wipe out electrical power, television, radio, military communication, and nearly every piece of electronics in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s a “Solar Katrina” — a planet-wide “hurricane” of magnetic forces that scramble all 21st Century technology, possibly for good. What causes this magnetic superstorm? Why is magnetism so powerful — and yet so poorly understood? And is there anything we can do to prevent the Magnetic Storm?

They’ve discovered water on other planets, and snatched the actual building blocks of life from a comet’s tail. But can space probes find a new Earth…and even make contact with alien life? In the 21st century, space probes are photographing, drilling and even sniffing new worlds in the quest for life, and scanning thousands of distant suns trying to detect Earth-like planets. It’s only a matter of time before space probes unlock the secrets to extra-terrestrial life and the universe itself.