Planetary Science Institute

This week's is Tweety! This pretty parrot lives with PSI senior scientist Shawn Wright and family. Shawn explains how this pretty parrot’s name came about: Shawn and wife Winnie's son’s nickname in Chinese translates to “Sylvester” and they thought that Sylvester should have a pal named Tweety, like the Looney Tunes cartoon characters.

Interested in volunteering with PSI? We have a new docent program! Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Those submitted by August 21 will be considered for our fall program, with training starting in September https://buff.ly/eQsLRxN

: This image captures storms and pop-up clouds over Jet N5. It was taken on February 24, 2022 at 4:55 p.m. PST (7:55 p.m. EST) as the Juno spacecraft performed its 40th close flyby of Jupiter. At the time the image was taken, the spacecraft was about 56480 miles (90896 kilometers) from the tops of the clouds of the planet at a latitude of 52.89 degrees. Credit: NASA/SwRI/MSSS/Sergio Díaz

"I always wanted to be a scientist, and I always wanted to study space. Even as a young child, I was reading about space and space exploration as soon as I could read." Senior Scientist Jordan Steckloff talks about what inspires him in this week's Scientist Spotlight. Read the full Q&A and subscribe to our newsletter! https://buff.ly/daZanJo

The 2026 PSI Retreat is providing a wonderful opportunity for PSI scientists and friends to interact and talk science!

The 2026 PSI annual retreat is in full swing! Scientists, admin staff, family and friends are gathering at the Hacienda del Sol in Tucson.

: This image captures the dynamic structures of the Northern Circumpolar Cyclones. It was taken on July 31, 2023 at 1:45 a.m. PDT (4:45 a.m. EDT) as the Juno spacecraft performed its 53rd close flyby of Jupiter. At the time the image was taken, the spacecraft was about 13249 miles (21323 kilometers) from the tops of the clouds of the planet at a latitude of 82.83 degrees. Credit: NASA/SwRI/MSSS/Navaneeth Krishnan S

PSI in the News: Senior Scientist Nader Haghighipour is quoted in Smithsonian Magazine about a newly discovered celestial object that some scientists are calling an "exosatellite".

Is This Giant Celestial Body a Moon, a Planet or Something in Between? The Strange Object Calls Astronomical Labels Into Question The newly found object, estimated to be roughly as massive as Jupiter, orbits a brown dwarf—a "failed star"—which in turn circles a small star. For now, researchers are calling the puzzling body an "exosatellite"

Jim was involved in PSI’s early history and we are delighted he has re-joined the Institute! Jim is one of those rare individuals whose interests and leadership span technology, science, and engineering. During his long career, he has made exceptional contributions to planetary science, with a focus on Venus. Read the full Q&A & subscribe to our newsletter to get PSI content delivered directly to your inbox! https://buff.ly/yzaHTpg

This week's is Freyja, a precious 9 1/2-week-old puppy when these photos were taken. Freyja is a new addition to the household of PSI Senior Scientist Catherine Johnson. Catherine describes Freyja as a “shark tooth fluffy.” Little piranha, indeed!