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

tektite

Astronomy; Planetary science

Tektites are small beads of silica glass that are usually black but can also be shades of brown or green. People used to think they came from the Moon, but now we know they are from the Earth. ...

highlands

Astronomy; Planetary science

Oldest exposed areas on the surface of the Moon; extensively cratered, and chemically distinct from the maria.

electromagnet spectrum

Astronomy; Planetary science

The full range of frequencies, from radio waves to gamma rays, that characterizes light. The electromagnetic spectrum can be expressed in terms of energy, wavelength, or frequency (where the ...

meteoritics

Astronomy; Planetary science

The scientific study of meteorites to better understand the origin, geologic history and evolution of our Solar System.

globular clusters

Astronomy; Planetary science

Groups of thousands to millions of old stars held together in orbits about their own center of mass and arranged in almost symmetrical (spherical) clusters.

asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars

Astronomy; Planetary science

Cool, luminous, and pulsating red giant stars. Most stars in the Universe that have left the main sequence will reach their final evolutionary stage as stars on the asymptotic giant branch.

A large, basin-shaped volcanic depression that is more or less circular in form. Most volcanic calderas are produced by collapse of the roof of a magma chamber due to removal of magma by voluminous ...