Solar system
A collection of Catalyst articles about the solar system.
Mars Express
A Catalyst article about the idea of life on Mars.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2003, Volume 14, Issue 2.
Life Beyond Earth
A Catalyst article investigating if there is life elsewhere in the universe.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2004, Volume 14, Issue 3.
Exploring Saturn
A Catalyst article following the journey of the space probes Huygens and Cassini, sent to explore Titan, a moon of Saturn.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2004, Volume 15, Issue 2.
Venus Express
A Catalyst article about the European Space Agency (ESA) which has sent the Venus Express spacecraft to explore Earth's cloudy neighbour.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2006, Volume 16, Issue 4.
Impact Earth
A Catalyst article about giant asteroids.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2006, Volume 17, Issue 1.
Year of the Sun
A Catalyst article about International Heliophysical Year (2007-08) - a year of scientific collaboration, studying the Sun and the impact of its radiation on the Earth.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2007, Volume 18, Issue 2.
Is Mars Dead?
A Catalyst article explaining how new data suggests that it is very unlikely that life ever existed on Mars.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2008, Volume 18, Issue 4.
Lucie Green - Astronomer
A Catalyst article describing Lucie Green's work as an astronomer and broadcaster on the Sky at Night programme.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2008, Volume 19, Issue 1.
Flying Weightless *suitable for home teaching*
This Catalyst article looks at what it means to say that an astronaut is 'weightless'.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2008, Volume 19, Issue 1
Tracking Ike
This Catalyst article presents a series of photographs from NASA Satellites tracking Hurricane Ike from space.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2008, Volume 19, Issue 2.
Astronomy - Careers
This Catalyst article investigates possible careers in astronomy and space science.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2005, Volume 16, Issue 2.
Plasma Prominences and Cosmic Rays
A Catalyst article about the use of remote telescopes and detecting cosmic rays.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2009, Volume 20, Issue 1.
Is There Anybody Out There?
A Catalyst article about the Kepler spacecraft, which is used to look for extra-solar planets.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2009, Volume 20, Issue 1.
Mission to Mercury
A Catalyst article about BepiColombo, a spacecraft which will visit Mercury, powered by a revolutionary new rocket engine technology using ion engines and using a slingshot manoeuvre to accelerate it.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2010, Volume 20, Issue 4.
Solar Surface
This Catalyst article is about the surface of the Sun.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2010, Volume 21, Issue 1.
Drilling Down/At Sea with Chikyu
A Catalyst article about Chikyu, a Japanese drilling ship capable of boring through the Earth's crust.
This article is from Catalyst: GCSE Science Review 2011, Volume 21, Issue 3.
Volcanoes from Space
This Catalyst article describes how the distribution of volcanoes across the Earth’s surface tells scientists about the underlying pattern of tectonic plates.
This article is from Catalyst Volume 22, Issue 1.
From Earth to Mars
This Catalyst article describes how a manned trip to Mars and back would be very demanding, both technologically and for the people involved.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2011, Volume 22, Issue 2.
What Causes the Aurora? *suitable for home teaching*
This article from Catalyst looks at aurora borealis caused by the interaction of the solar wind with the Earth's magnetic field.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2012, Volume 22, Issue 3.
Zombie Invasion
This Catalyst article looks at how Californians are being encouraged to prepare for the next big earthquake.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2012, Volume 22, Issue 3.
Curious About Mars
This Catalyst article looks at NASA's Mars Curiosity rover, the automated chemistry lab which landed safely on Mars in August 2012.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2012, Volume 23, Issue 1.
The Moon, an Optical Illusion and an Iceberg: Did These Sink the Titanic?
This Catalyst article uses physics to investigate the possible causes of the sinking of the Titanic.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2012, Volume 23, Issue 2.
Extremophiles - How to Find Life on Mars
This Catalyst article looks at life in extreme environments on Earth which can suggest how life might exist on Mars
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2013, Volume 23, Issue 4.
Balloons in Space
The Big Picture on pages 10-11 of this issue of Catalyst shows scientists in Antarctica launching a balloon which will travel up through the atmosphere to a height of 34 km above the Earth’s surface.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2013, Volume 24, Issue 1.
Launching a Balloon to the Edge of Space
This Catalyst article looks at the project in detail and explains what happens to a weather balloon as it rises through the atmosphere.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2013, Volume 24, Issue 1.
Catching a Comet: the Rosetta Mission
This Catalyst article looks at the Rosetta mission: to rendezvous with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko where it will study the nucleus of the comet and its environment for nearly two years, and land a probe on its surface.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 24, Issue 4.
Where Will Philae Land? Rosetta in Orbit
This Catalyst article explains how a smaller spacecraft will land on the surface of comet 67P.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 1.
The Landing - Philae Touches Down
This Catalyst article investigates the launch of the the Philae lander from the Rosetta spacecraft and its landing on Comet 67P.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 3.
Gardens in the Sky
This Catalyst article investigates how plants can be grown in orbiting spacecraft and how this may be useful in future manned space missions.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2014, Volume 25, Issue 3.
Going into reverse?
This article investigates the Earth’s magnetic field and discusses, since it is weakening, if it could go into reverse?
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2015, Volume 26, Issue 1.
Earth's Magnetic Field - What is it Good For?
This Catalyst article investigates how the Earth's magnetosphere protects us from harmful cosmic radiation.
The article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2015, Volume 26, Issue 2.
Six views of Mercury
This Catalyst article presents six different images of Mercury, the planet nearest the Sun.
This article is from Catalyst: Secondary Science Review 2016, Volume 26, Issue 3.