Formation of the Solar System: The Solar Nebular Theory

The Beginning Swirling cloud of ice, gas, and dust Mainly hydrogen and helium gases Revolving counterclockwise http://apwww.stmarys.ca/~ishort/Images/SolSystem/Formation/

Nebula Material came from a nebula- explosion of an old star Gathered in center to make a protostar Once able to create nuclear fusion- became the sun http://www.sikhspectrum.com/122002/jettysingh_poems.htm

Planets Formed as clumps hit and stuck together Formed planetismals- a few km across Eventually formed the planets

Lighter and Heavier Elements When sun formed, solar wind pushed out lighter elements Destroyed first atmospheres of the inner planets Reason Jovian planets so large and made of gas http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/sunearthday/2004/vt_grade4words.htm

Evidence for Theory 1. All planets revolve counterclockwise, like sun’s rotation 2. Most planets rotate clockwise (except Venus and Uranus) 3. Most in same plane as the sun Pattern in spacing of planets - Asteroid belt- a planet? http://www.solarrings.com/solarfacts.php

What Resulted

What Resulted

What Resulted

Ways We’ve Studied the Solar System Space Shuttle Space Missions Voyager Cassini Galileo Messenger Pathfinder Spirit and Opportunity Deep Impact Rarely Seen Shuttle Activity NEAR Video Mars Phoenix Lander

10 surprises about our solar system http://earthsky.org/space/ten-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-solar-system http://www.windows2universe.org/our_solar_system/formation.html