Planetary Science, or Planetology, is a rapidly growing branch of science which describes the study of planets, celestial objects that are like planets, and anything which affects their shape, composition, appearance, or behaviour. As the study of planets includes the study of their structure and composition, atmosphere and climate cycles, their natural satellites and their interactions and relations with them and their star, planetary science overlaps greatly with some of the more traditional scientific disciplines.
The planet we know best is, of course, the one we are living on. Other planets can be studied remotely, using telescopes to observe them from a distance, while Space agencies around the world send robotic spacecraft to orbit, fly past or land on our planetary neighbours, and a dozen men have visited the moon.
We've published 15 articles and 22 specialist blog posts about planetology so far, featuring 179 unanswered planetology questions! But we're not done yet as we still have another 80 planetology research areas in our database to write about, so come back soon!
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The Favorite Solar System Moons of Planetary Geologists; An In-Depth Discussion
21st March, 2023
The moons of our Solar System have garnered quite a lot of attention in the last few years, especially pertaining to astrobiology and the search for life beyond Earth. From the Galilean moons of Jupiter to the geysers of Enceladus to the methane lakes on Titan, these small worlds continue to humble us with both …
Continue reading "The Favorite Solar System Moons of Planetary Geologists; An …
Sci-Fi Christmas is Ruined! Planet Vulcan Doesn’t Exist
20th March, 2023
According to a new study, the exoplanet 40 Eridani b (aka. "Vulcan") was a false positive. Bad news for Star Trek fans, but possibly good for future exoplanet surveys.
The post Sci-Fi Christmas is Ruined! Planet Vulcan Doesn’t Exist appeared first on Universe Today.
We don’t know what causes lightning, how much of it there is, nor how to predict it. As global temperatures increase, so does lightning; as lightning increases, so do global temperatures. Its impact on atmospheric chemistry is still being explored.
Geoengineering the climate would mean venturing into new technology with huge consequences. But what might those consequences be and is there an alternative solution to anthropogenic climate change?
Chemists are exploring ways to mimic nature’s selective, low-temperature biochemical reactions that make delicate and reactive structures. Previously, chemists had copied high temperature geological reactions.
The search for alien life catches many people's imagination and has always been a very public branch of science. So with all this investigation, why has our search revealed nothing? Are we truly alone in the Universe?
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. It’s been observed since Babylonian times, yet we know little about what goes on inside this giant red planet.
Can't find what you're looking for? Browse the branches of planetology that interest you most.
Atmospheric Science is a catch-all term for the study of planetary atmospheres, including the climate and weather.
Exoplanetology is the study of planets orbiting stars other than our Sun.
Geochemistry is the use of Chemistry to study the composition and mechanisms of major geological systems such as Earth.
Geology is the study of terrestrial structures and the processes acting upon them.
Geophysics refers to the study of the physics of the Earth and its environment in space, including its gravitational and magnetic fields, and its atmosphere.
Hydrology is the study of water in the environment.
Planetary Astronomy is the study of planets, moons, and planetary systems through measurements taken from afar.
![Image credit: ©Photo by Crisco 1492 [CC BY-SA 3.0] via Wikimedia](https://www.thingswedontknow.com/img/sci/640px-mount_merapi_in_2014.jpg "Volcanoes")
Atmospheric Science is a catch-all term for the study of planetary atmospheres, including the climate and weather.
