Earth, Moon, and Planets
In 1969, three scientists watched the Apollo 11 mission unfold on television screens. Zdeněk Kopal, Hannes Alfvén, and Harold Urey felt a sudden urgency to document what they had just witnessed. They conceived a new journal titled The Moon that very year. Their goal was to create an interdisciplinary space for lunar studies immediately after humanity first set foot on another world. Reidel published this initial issue under a Dutch imprint. The publication schedule aimed for roughly ten issues annually to keep pace with rapid discoveries.
By 1978, researchers needed more room than just lunar data could provide. The editors changed the title to The Moon and the Planets to reflect broader solar system interests. Five years later in 1983, the name shifted again to Earth, Moon, and Planets. This third iteration included planetary science perspectives on our own home planet. February 1984 marked the first official use of the current long-form title. Each renaming signaled a deliberate expansion of the research horizon beyond single celestial bodies.
Zdeněk Kopal served as the founding editor-in-chief during those early lunar study years. Vladímir Vanýsek took over leadership duties following his predecessor's tenure. Mark E. Bailey guided the publication through subsequent decades of growth. Giovanni Valsecchi and Murthy S. Gudipati also held the editor role at different times. Jamie D. Gilmour from the University of Manchester currently leads the editorial board. These individuals steered the journal through multiple identity changes while maintaining scientific rigor.
The journal prioritizes original research on how stars and planets form within cosmic environments. It covers the evolution of the Solar System including its distant origins. Extra-solar systems and their birth processes receive significant attention from contributors. Asteroids, comets, and meteoroids appear frequently in published articles about space debris. Near-Earth objects and potential impact hazards on Earth remain critical topics for safety analysis. Physical and chemical properties define much of the data presented to readers.
Springer Science+Business Media handles current production and distribution of the monthly issues. Reidel originally published the first edition before merging with Kluwer into Springer Nature. The journal appears in major academic databases that index abstracts and full texts. Conference proceedings and review articles supplement standard research papers for comprehensive coverage. Book reviews and special issues allow deeper dives into specific planetary science themes. This infrastructure supports global access to peer-reviewed findings across ten annual releases.
2024 marked a complete rebranding of the publication under the new name Discover Space. The transition moved the journal to a fully open-access format for all readers. Policy developments across space science fields now find a home within these pages. Multidisciplinary research receives priority support through this modernized platform. The change reflects a shift toward broader accessibility while maintaining core scientific standards. All previous titles and scopes now exist as historical chapters of this evolving legacy.
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Common questions
When was the journal Earth, Moon, and Planets first established?
The journal Earth, Moon, and Planets traces its origins to 1969 when three scientists conceived a new publication titled The Moon. Zdeněk Kopal, Hannes Alfvén, and Harold Urey created this interdisciplinary space for lunar studies immediately after humanity set foot on another world.
What were the previous titles of the journal now known as Earth, Moon, and Planets?
The journal began as The Moon in 1969 before changing its name to The Moon and the Planets by 1978. It adopted the current long-form title Earth, Moon, and Planets in February 1984 following a third iteration that included planetary science perspectives on our own home planet.
Who serves as the current editor-in-chief of Earth, Moon, and Planets?
Jamie D. Gilmour from the University of Manchester currently leads the editorial board of Earth, Moon, and Planets. Previous editors include founding editor Zdeněk Kopal, Vladímir Vanýsek, Mark E. Bailey, Giovanni Valsecchi, and Murthy S. Gudipati.
Which publisher handles the production and distribution of Earth, Moon, and Planets?
Springer Science+Business Media handles current production and distribution of the monthly issues of Earth, Moon, and Planets. Reidel originally published the first edition under a Dutch imprint before merging with Kluwer into Springer Nature.
When did the publication change its name to Discover Space?
2024 marked a complete rebranding of the publication under the new name Discover Space. This transition moved the journal to a fully open-access format for all readers while maintaining core scientific standards.