planetographer n.

one who studies or maps planets

  • 1937 E. E. Smith Galactic Patrol in Astounding Stories Nov. 141/2 page image Edward E. Smith bibliography

    Perils of a planet unknown to and unexplored by Boskone’s planetographers.

  • 1938 E. E. Smith Galactic Patrol in Astounding Stories Jan. 136/1 page image Edward E. Smith bibliography

    There were continents, bearing mountains and plains, lakes and rivers. There were oceans, studded with islands great and small. But Kinnison was no planetographer.

  • 1943 ‘R. Rocklynne’ Slaves of the Ninth Moon in Planet Stories Mar. 103/1 page image Ross Rocklynne bibliography

    It just happens to be one of those unimportant planets the planetographers have passed by.

  • 1961 P. Anderson Day After Doomsday in Galaxy Magazine Dec. 10/2 Poul Anderson bibliography

    Kunz the astronomer and Easterling the planetographer were still hunched over their instruments, as if they would find some misfunction that would give the lie to what they could see with unaided eyes.

  • 1996 R. Silverberg Starborne 113 Robert Silverberg bibliography

    The ideal exploration party, it seems to me, would include one biologist, one planetographer, and, of course, one man to operate and do necessary maintenance work on the vehicle the party uses.

  • 2008 C. Stross Saturn’s Children 269 page image Charles Stross bibliography

    In the century-plus since Eris was settled, we have already raised the temperature of its lithosphere by several degrees, just as we’ve thickened the atmosphere of Callisto a thousandfold: if this goes on, the more annoyingly farsighted planetographers warn, we can look forward to an increased incidence of icequakes and the threat of a year-round atmosphere.


Research requirements

antedating 1937

Earliest cite

E. E. Smith 'Galactic Patrol'

Research History
Mike Christie submitted a 1937 cite from E.E. Smith's "Galactic Patrol".
Mike Christie submitted a 1949 cite from Poul Anderson's "Entity".
Mike Christie submitted a 1941 cite from E.E. Smith's "Second Stage Lensman".
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1970 reprint of Poul Anderson's "After Doomsday".
Mike Christie verified this in its 1961 original publication in Galaxy.
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2008 cite from Charles Stross.

We would like cites of any date from other sources.

Last modified 2021-03-09 02:33:37
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.