9 Terms
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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.
Industry: Astronomy
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Planetary science
Agglutinates
Astronomy; Planetary science
Common particle type in lunar regolith; agglutinates consist of small rock, mineral, and glass fragments bonded together with glass.
Meteoriticist
Astronomy; Planetary science
Person specialising in the scientific studies of meteorites. They work at universities, government laboratories (such as at NASA Centers), or associated with important meteorite collections (such as ...
Troctolite
Astronomy; Planetary science
Igneous rock, found in the lunar highlands, composed of plagioclase and olivine.
Oort cloud
Astronomy; Planetary science
Vast spherical swarm of comets orbiting our Solar System from roughly 2,000 to 100,000 AU. The Oort cloud, while roughly spherical at the largest radius, is wedge-shaped where it merges with the ...
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. ...
Crater
Astronomy; Planetary science
A hole or depression. Most are roughly circular or oval in outline. On Earth most natural craters are of volcanic origin. On the Moon most are of impact origin.
Magma ocean
Astronomy; Planetary science
Term used to describe the layer of magma, hundreds of kilometres thick; thought to have covered the Moon 4. 5 billion years ago. The timing, duration, cooling rates, convection, partial melting, ...