U840 wrote:
Will there be a different word for each planet explored? What about the
rocks on a asteroid?

Maybe they should settle on one word for all off Earth study of rocks.

We might end up exploring Jupiter's moons within one or a few human
lifetimes.

They could be identifying joviological formations. :-o

As Rod mentioned, the Martian analogue is areological. That said, your
suggestion is not a bad one, for we may soon have to deal with rocks from
a great many worlds. Perhaps lithology, from a Greek word meaning
"stone." Lithological formations. It has a certain ring to it, don't
you think?

Brian Tung
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