Planetary Gemology

Planetary Gemology, also refered as Extraterrestrial Gemology, Astrogemology and Exogemology, is a branch of gemology responsible for the study of gemology on extraterrestrial planets and celestial bodies. Planetary Gemology also works together with Planetary Geography and Planetary Geology.

"Planetary Gemology is gonna be really important in the future for find gems and ores in extraterrestrial planets and worlds."

"I am going to study planetary gemology to work with extraterrestrial gems and ores."

by Full Monteirism January 13, 2021

Planetary Sciences

The study of planets as whole, integrated systems—their formation, composition, atmospheres, magnetic fields, and potential for life. It combines geology, atmospheric science, oceanography, and astronomy to understand worlds both in our solar system and beyond. It answers questions like: Why does Mars have such a thin atmosphere? What drives Jupiter's storms? Could there be an ocean under Enceladus's ice? It's the essential reconnaissance before any technology or engineering can be deployed.

Example: "He's a planetary scientist. His big discovery was that the methane spikes on Mars were seasonal and correlated with subsurface salt deposits, suggesting geological, not biological, origins. He crushed a million sci-fi dreams with a single graph, but earned a lifetime of free drinks from NASA." Planetary Sciences

by Abzugal January 30, 2026

Planetary Engineering

The large-scale application of technology and principles to modify or manage the global environment of a planet—terraforming being the most extreme example. It involves modeling complex climatology, atmospheric chemistry, and geology to enact change. Projects might include building orbital mirrors to melt ice caps, introducing engineered microbes to alter atmospheric composition, or redirecting comets to deliver water. It's civil engineering, but where your job site is an entire world and your timeline is millennia.

*Example: "The Venusian working group in planetary engineering isn't building cities yet. They're modeling the long-term effects of dumping gigatons of calcium and magnesium from asteroid mining onto the surface to sequester the runaway CO2 atmosphere. The first phase is called 'The Great Liming.' It'll take 500 years to see if it worked."* Planetary Engineering

by Abzugal January 30, 2026

Planetary Technologies

Technologies specifically designed for the surface or immediate environment of a planet (or large moon). This is "planetary gear" tailored to local conditions: pressurized rovers for Mars, insulated diggers for the frozen crust of Europa, balloon-based drones for Venus's upper atmosphere, or automated mining bots for the Moon. The focus is on operating within a specific gravity well, weathering local dust storms or ice, and utilizing in-situ resources. It's the frontier outpost hardware.

Example: "The Martian farm uses bespoke planetary technology: automated greenhouses with LED suns tuned to the red planet's dust-filtered light spectrum, drills that pull water from permafrost, and soil processors that remove toxic perchlorates. The first batch of 'Mars-tatoes' tasted like victory and regret." Planetary Technologies

by Abzugal January 30, 2026