Starfield planetary attributes, explained

A fraction of Starfield's beauty resides within the myriad of small moments spent simply exploring planets and moons. One may come across lush and serene environments or gaze skyward, beholding the countless stars.

The exploration of a planet should be a recurring leisure pursuit as you traverse the galaxy. In doing so, you will encounter distinctive natural features as you comb the land for resources, plants, and animals to complete your survey data. Additionally, you must uncover what are known as planetary attributes. Here is what you need to know.

What Is A Planet Trait

First and foremost, a planetary attribute is a distinctive phenomenon or environmental feature found on a specific planet or moon.

This could be an example of a unique biotic environment, such as the characteristic of a frozen ecosystem found on some of the icier planets. Alternatively, it could serve as an indication of past life and environments, like the deep-sea deposits that point to long-extinct, life-sustaining oceans.

A planetary attribute is something you must scan in order to capture 100 percent of a planet. Just like flora and fauna, the planetary attributes will vary from space rock to space rock.

How To Survey Planet Traits

To check off the attributes of a planet for your survey data, you must explore the planet and locate the specific phenomenon. This may require a fair amount of wandering, especially if you are unsure of which attribute you are seeking.

You will use your scanner in the same manner as you would scan data from plants and animals on a planet. Simply open your scanner, get within range, and scan what you need.

Let us take the moon called Curbeam as an example. Curbeam orbits the planet Bondar in the Alpha Centauri system. A preliminary scan will inform you that there is a specific attribute you need to find.

To capture the attribute, you must land on Curbeam and then utilize the scanner to survey the horizon. Scan unfamiliar markings as you commence exploration in every direction.

The attribute of Curbeam is deep-sea deposits, so you should keep an eye out for "natural" landmarks. Simply explore until something appears as an "unexplored geological feature." Scan it to complete the capture of the planetary attribute.

Repeat this process on every planet and moon you land on, and you will be able to earn abundant credits at any given time by selling the survey data.