But even more surprising is what the Kepler database highlights about our own solar system: namely, that we’re a bunch of celestial oddballs.

Astronomer James O'Donoghue works at Japan's space agency and makes animations in his free time. His simple, short, award-winning videos illustrate the physics of our solar system. O'Donoghue's ...

Saturn's seven icy rings each spin at their own speed, behaving like a "mini solar system." Planetary scientist James O'Donoghue made a beautifully simple animation to show how it works.

NASA's Juno probe has flown closer to Jupiter and its largest moon, Ganymede , than any other spacecraft in more than two decades.