Difference between revisions of "Planetary science" - New World Encyclopedia
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− | '''Planetary science''' | + | '''Planetary science''' is the [[science]] of [[planet]]s, or [[planetary system]]s, and the [[solar system]]. Planetary science mainly originated from a subfield of [[astronomy]] which deals with celestial bodies inside our solar system. Unlike the mainstream astronomy which mainly deals with gas and plasma, planetary science deals with solid materials, and thus expanded its field by incorporating an [[Interdisciplinarity|interdisciplinary]] approach. Planetary science draws from diverse sciences and may be considered a part of the [[Earth science]]s, or more logically, as its parent field because the Earth is also a planet. |
− | Planetary science studies objects ranging in size from | + | Research tends to be done by a combination of astronomical observations, [[space exploration]] (particularly [[unmanned space mission]]s), examinations of [[meteorite]]s and [[interplanetary dust particles]], experiments using those planetary materials or simulants, theory and modeling, and considerable use of [[computer simulation]]. |
+ | |||
+ | Planetary science studies objects ranging in size from nanometer-size crystals to [[gas giant]]s, their composition, dynamics, and history. | ||
== Terminology == | == Terminology == |
Revision as of 03:19, 2 March 2006
Planetary science is the science of planets, or planetary systems, and the solar system. Planetary science mainly originated from a subfield of astronomy which deals with celestial bodies inside our solar system. Unlike the mainstream astronomy which mainly deals with gas and plasma, planetary science deals with solid materials, and thus expanded its field by incorporating an interdisciplinary approach. Planetary science draws from diverse sciences and may be considered a part of the Earth sciences, or more logically, as its parent field because the Earth is also a planet.
Research tends to be done by a combination of astronomical observations, space exploration (particularly unmanned space missions), examinations of meteorites and interplanetary dust particles, experiments using those planetary materials or simulants, theory and modeling, and considerable use of computer simulation.
Planetary science studies objects ranging in size from nanometer-size crystals to gas giants, their composition, dynamics, and history.
Terminology
When the discipline concerns itself with a celestial body in particular, a specialised term is used, as shown in the table below (only Heliology, Earth science (synonymous with geoscience), Selenology, and Areology are currently in common use):
Body | Term | Source of root in term |
---|---|---|
Sun | Heliology | Greek Helios |
Mercury | Hermeology | Greek Hermes |
Venus | Cytherology | Greek Cythera |
Earth | Earth science (geoscience): e.g., geology | Greek Gaia |
Moon | Selenology | Greek Selene |
Mars | Areology | Greek Ares |
Jupiter | Zenology | Greek Zeus |
Saturn | Kronology | Greek Chronos |
Uranus | Uranology | Greek/Latin Uranus |
Neptune | Poseidology | Greek Poseidon |
Pluto | Hadeology | Greek Hades |
Basic Concepts
- Asteroid
- Brown dwarfs
- Comets
- Earthquake
- Equatorial bulge
- Extrasolar planets
- Gas giant planets
- Icy moons
- Kuiper belt
- Magnetosphere
- Planet
- Planetary differentiation
- Planetary system
- the Pluto debate
- Precession
- Solar-terrestrial interaction
- Space weather
- Star system
- Sun
- Synchronous rotation
- Super Jupiter
- Terrestrial planets
Template:Astro-stub Template:Geol-stub
|
See also
- Astrogeology
- Planetary habitability
bs:Planetarne nauke
cs:Planetologie
de:Planetologie
fr:Planétologie
id:Ilmu planet
is:Reikistjörnufræði
it:Planetologia
nl:Planetologie
ja:惑星科学
pl:Planetologia
pt:Planetologia
sk:Planetológia
sl:Planetologija
sr:Планетарне науке
fi:Planeettatiede
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