Planetary sciences - Definition

Planetary science, also known as planetology or planetary astronomy, is the science of planets and the solar system, and incorporates an interdisciplinary approach drawing from diverse sciences. Planetary science may be considered a part of the Earth sciences, or more logically, as its parent field. Research tends to be done by a combination of astronomy, space exploration (particularly unmanned space missions), and comparative, experimental and meteorite work based on Earth. There is also an important theoretical component and considerable use of computer simulation.

Planetary science studies objects ranging in size from micrometeoroids to gas giants, their composition, dynamics and history.

When the discipline concerns itself with a celestial body in particular, a specialised term is used, as shown in the table below (only Heliology, Geology, Selenology, and Areology are currently in common use):

Basic Concepts:

• planet

• asteroids
• brown dwarfs
• comets
• earthquake
• equatorial bulge
• extrasolar planets
• gas giant planets
• icy moons
• Kuiper belt
• magnetosphere
• the Pluto debate
• precession
• solar-terrestrial interaction
• space weather
• the Sun
• synchronous rotation
• super Jupiter
• terrestrial planets

See also

• Astrogeology