Planetary science

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.

Industry: Astronomy

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Planetary science

cosmochemistry

Astronomy; Planetary science

Interdisciplinary science that overlaps with geochemistry, geology, astronomy, astrophysics, and geophysics to discover the materials and fundamental processes in the solar nebula and our Solar ...

In the context of space weathering on the surfaces of airless planetary bodies, sputtering is the process in which atoms on the surface are knocked free by high-speed atomic particles in the solar ...

andesite

Astronomy; Planetary science

Dark-colored, fine-grained extrusive igneous rock with about 52 to 63 weight percent silica (SiO 2 ). Andesite consists mainly of plagioclase and one or more mafic minerals. The word andesite is ...

supernova (Type II)

Astronomy; Planetary science

An enormously bright, energetic, catastrophic explosion that occurs at the end of the lifetime of a massive star whose core collapses. A star must have at least nine times the mass of the Sun to ...

fall

Astronomy; Planetary science

A meteorite that was observed as it fell through Earth's atmosphere and was retrieved. Since most falls are collected soon after hitting the ground, these meteorites are not badly degraded or ...

perihelion

Astronomy; Planetary science

Point in the elliptical orbit of a comet about the Sun in which it passes closest to the Sun.

regolith

Astronomy; Planetary science

General term referring to the layers of fragmental and loose, incoherent, or unconsolidated rock, mineral, and glass fragments of any origin (residual or transported) that accumulate on the surface. ...