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

Agglutinates

Astronomy; Planetary science

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

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, ...