Tag Archives: Planetary Science

The first scientist on the Moon, geologist Jack Schmitt, examining and collecting soil and rock samples during the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. Photographed by the mission commander, Gene Cernan.
1972: Lunar Geology – Insights from Apollo Astronaut Harrison Schmitt

The Apollo Moon missions, particularly with geologist-astronaut Harrison Schmitt, showed that Earth's geological principles apply to lunar exploration, contributing significantly to our understanding of the Moon and planetary geology

Main image: An artistic interpretation by artist and planetary scientist William K. Hartmann depicting the Tunguska forest just one minute after the airburst explosion. The painting was created at Mount St. Helens, which experienced a blast similar to Tunguska in 1980. Inset: A 1927 photograph from the Kulik expedition to the Tunguska region.
1908: The Tunguska Event – A Meteoric Mystery in Siberia

The 1908 Tunguska explosion, a mysterious airburst in Siberia, underscores the impact of celestial objects on Earth and remains a pivotal study in planetary science

Main image: USGS geologist G. K. Gilbert climbing an outcrop near Berkeley, California, around 1906. Inset: A photo from around 1891 showing Gilbert's experiments that demonstrated the formation of impact craters by throwing balls of hard clay into soft clay.
1879: The Evolution of the United States Geological Survey – The Legacy of G. K. Gilbert

The US Geological Survey, founded in 1879, was pivotal in exploring America's expanding territories. Notable geologist G. K. Gilbert's contributions, especially in understanding the Meteor Crater, underscored the agency's role in advancing geological knowledge, which [...]

This image of the Orientale Basin on the Moon, spanning 578 miles (930 km), illustrates evidence of intense planetary bombardment occurring 400 to 700 million years after Earth's formation. The color variations indicate areas of lower (blue) and higher (red) gravity within the basin.
c. 4.1 Billion BCE: Unraveling the Late Heavy Bombardment’s Mysteries

Delves into the Late Heavy Bombardment, a period when the solar system experienced intense asteroid and comet impacts. It highlights how lunar research, particularly from Apollo mission samples, offers insights into this chaotic era, suggesting [...]

c. 4.5 Billion BCE: Unraveling the Mystery – The Fascinating Origin of the Moon

Explores the intriguing theories and eventual scientific consensus on the Moon's origin, highlighting the giant impact hypothesis as the most compelling explanation supported by lunar data.