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Planetary science

The scientific study of planets including Earth, moons, and planetary systems of the Solar System in particular and the processes that form them.

Contributors in Planetary science

Planetary science

shergottites

Astronomy; Planetary science

One of the three types of meteorites from Mars (the SNC meteorites). The type is named after the Shergotty meteorite, which fell in India in 1865. Basaltic shergottites consist mainly of plagioclase ...

organic

Astronomy; Planetary science

Pertaining to carbon-containing compounds. Organic compounds can be formed by both biological and non-biological processes.

peridotite

Astronomy; Planetary science

A course-grained igneous rock consisting largely of the mineral olivine.

agglutinates

Astronomy; Planetary science

Common particle type in lunar regolith; agglutinates consist of small rock, mineral, and glass fragments bonded together with glass.

megaregolith

Astronomy; Planetary science

Term coined by William K. Hartmann in 1973 to describe the lunar-wide zone of fragmented material developed on the Moon by mixing of impact basin/crater ejecta (transported by ballistic trajectories) ...

solar nebula

Astronomy; Planetary science

The immense cloud of gas and particles of floating cosmic dust from which our Solar System (Sun and planets) condensed 4. 6 billion years ago.

thin section

Astronomy; Planetary science

A thin slice or rock, usually only 30 micrometers thick. Thin sections are used to study rocks with a microscope.

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