Scientists believe that the solar system was formed when a cloud of gas and dust in space was disturbed, maybe by the explosion of a nearby star (called a supernova). This explosion made waves in space which squeezed the cloud of gas and dust. Squeezing made the cloud start to collapse, as gravity pulled the gas and dust together, forming a solar nebula. Just like a dancer that spins faster as she pulls in her arms, the cloud began to spin as it collapsed. Eventually, the cloud grew hotter and denser in the center, with a disk of gas and dust surrounding it that was hot in the center but cool at the edges. As the disk got thinner and thinner, particles began to stick together and form clumps. Some clumps got bigger, as particles and small clumps stuck to them, eventually forming planets or moons . Near the center of the cloud, where planets like Earth formed, only rocky material could stand the great heat. Icy matter settled in the outer regions of the disk along with rocky material, where the giant planets like Jupiter formed. As the cloud continued to fall in, the center eventually got so hot that it became a star, the Sun, and blew most of the gas and dust of the new solar system with a strong stellar wind. By studying meteorites, which are thought to be left over from this early phase of the solar system, scientists have found that the solar system is about 4,600 million years old!
(:P)
2007-03-14 05:55:33
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answer #1
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answered by Hope Summer 6
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The poster above me is right. Astronauts are the mechanical guys; not many of them have a background in astrophysics. If you have an idea, talk to an astronomer. But first, look up what current theory says. If your ideas contridict current accepted theory, you need the math and/or the observational evidence to back them up. Without that, not many people will listen to you.
If you have some evidence for your ideas, you could try writing a paper on them and submitting it to a journal, such as the Astrophysical Journal. You can get there from http://www.aas.org and find the submission requirements.
If they think there is any merit to your ideas, they will consider your paper. If they dismiss it out of hand, either you didn't fully support your ideas or you didn't present them well. Maybe you should have somebody read your paper over before submitting it.
2007-03-10 05:47:28
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answer #2
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answered by eri 7
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Astronauts don't know anything about the formation of the solar system. They're just the guys who drive the rockets. It's an astrophysicist you should be talking to. But before you do, I suggest you read up on the standard theories on the formation of the solar system.
2007-03-10 04:57:27
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answer #3
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answered by Gnomon 6
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