most recent 30 from http://payload42.com 2010-09-07T07:34:34Z http://payload42.com/feeds/question/50 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://payload42.com/questions/50/what-is-the-difference-between-space-physics-and-astrophysics enzo32ferrari 2009-11-16T01:59:17Z 2010-05-28T16:23:02Z

<p>What is the difference between Space Physics and Astrophysics?</p>

http://payload42.com/questions/50/what-is-the-difference-between-space-physics-and-astrophysics/83#83 Joe H. 2010-04-30T16:02:32Z 2010-04-30T16:02:32Z

<p>I'll take a general stab at an answer, as no one else has --</p> <p>There's overlap in the two fields, so they're not completely mutually exclusive. Astrophysics tends to focus on celestial bodies and their interaction. Much of the astrophysics community identifies themselves as part of the larger astronomy community.</p> <p>Space Physics can also include regions of space and areas of study that aren't necessarily related to astronomy, to include studies of the upper atmosphere (Ionosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere), radiation belts, solar wind, the magnetosphere, solar physics and space weather.</p> <p>I'm not sure off-hand how Planetary Physicists (those that study the planets, asteroids, etc. see themselves being classified.)</p> <p>As a general rule of thumb, I've found that scientists studying things within our solar system seem to prefer to be grouped into Space Physics or Heliophysics, while Astrophysics has the assumption that you're only doing remote sensing of things light years away (but that might just be the folks that I work with, who really don't like being associated with astronomers).</p>