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March 27, 2026, TUCSON, Ariz. – NASA has selected 10 participating scientists to help shape a science plan for astronauts to complete on the lunar surface under the Artemis program, and three of them are…
Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist James Lyons studies isotopes – atoms of the same name and chemical properties but with variations in mass – from Earth, Mars, the Sun, the Solar nebula and protoplanetary disks.…
Saturday and Sunday, March 14-15, was the Tucson Festival of Books, an annual celebration of literature that attracts more than 100,00 visitors. Nestled within the sea of white tents on the green grass of the…
The Planetary Science Institute has received two gifts from generous donors totaling $100,000. “We are incredibly grateful to these individuals,” said PSI Director Amanda Hendrix. “These donors voiced their support for the scientific pursuit of…
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Sci Art
This artwork by Senior Scientist Jamie Molaro uses data from the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s laser altimeter to recreate the surface of asteroid Bennu and explore how the properties of its boulders contribute to its rough landscape texture. Bennu’s boulders are widely observed to be fracturing, flaking, and crumbling apart – a synergy between stresses caused by daily heating and cooling from the Sun and the layered texture of their clay minerals. Chemistry and dehydration likely also play a role, as study of the rock samples returned by OSIRIS-REx indicates they are rich in carbon and organic molecules, and have been aqueously altered in the past. Study of these samples provides a window into the conditions of the early Solar System when the asteroids and planets formed. The topography in this scene shows a limb view of Bennu’s largest boulder Benben, cut from scientific manuscripts studying aqueous alteration. Each page was altered itself using water and black paint made from carbon, allowed to curl and deform naturally given the shape of the contour and relative wetness of the paper.
Hartmann Art Collection
Art is a critical tool for expressing, exploring, and reflecting on complex ideas. It shines a light on how the process of observing and studying a subject can be both scientific and artistic.
The Hartmann Art Collection at the Planetary Science Institute transports us across space and time to visit strange landscapes in our Solar System and among the stars. The collection spans more than 60 years of that inspired generations of thinkers and dreamers.
These works not only bring landscapes alive, they offer a unique perspective on our understanding of planetary systems and record the history of planetary exploration.