2007-03-20 10:57:23 · 7 answers · asked by Rachael M 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
For the past few billions of years, pretty much the same as now. The Sun has been a few percent hotter or cooler, and a few comets have come and gone. Jupiter and Saturn have captured a few very small moons. About once or twice every few thousand years, a couple of asteroids bump into each other, or crash into a planet -- that doesn't happen much any more.
Mars is a lot dryer now than it used to be. And the Earth has gone through some ice ages.
Poor Venus! Several billion years ago Venus was not so much different from Earth, with lakes and seas, but a runaway greenhouse effect was caused by the evaporation of that original water, which generated a critical level of greenhouse gases in its atmosphere. Venus is thus an extreme example of climate change.
Oh wait, I almost forgot -- the great red spot on Jupiter is only 200 or maybe 370 years old. Pretty long time for a hurricane, don't you think?
2007-03-20 11:18:22 · answer #1 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it's not always been like it is now. Back billions of years ago when it was just starting to form, what would become the planets were nothing more than balls of dust and gas growing from material in the immense gas-dust cloud where the solar system began. When the biggest ball of gas grew hot enough, it turned into the sun. Energy from the new sun swept outward and blew away many of the young growing planets. Those that remained gradually settled down, with the solid inner planets (..Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars..) nothing more than huge molten balls. Millions and millions of years later they had cooled enough for some of them to acquire an atmosphere, and at least two of them to have water. At about this time today's planets were all pretty much established in the orbits we now see.
2007-03-20 11:10:23 · answer #2 · answered by Chug-a-Lug 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, for as long as I can remember, the Solar System has been just as it is now.
Mind you, I am a senior citizen. The Earth, however, is some 4 Billion years old. Lots of things could have and did happen within those 4 Billion years. We can see evidence of some things, and others we have to just guess or speculate about.
2007-03-20 12:12:51 · answer #3 · answered by zahbudar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not at all, it is changing all the time. There have been some massive hits to the planets with asteroids and comets crashing into them. So much so that bits of Mars have been found on Earth.
Lucky its a lot quieter than it used to be now that most of the debris has been captured by the planets.
2007-03-20 11:02:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
no not exactly, you see all the planets in our solar system had to of come from somewhere right? all planets were made from the great and mighty powers of God himself, no joke. Now here is my theory, i believe that God was just trying to pass the time and decided to make these uninhabital spheres called planets. One day he was bored of making planets with nothing on them to enjoy them, making them rain acid, making them with a climate that is unsurvivable, etc. He figured that his new creations would not possibly survive on the planets he had made and besides he got bored with them anyway. So he created, as said in the Bible, man in his own image and Earth. And just for the thrill and futuristic curiosity he decided to make other planets that we now know today as Neptune, Saturn, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Jupiter, and the planet that was recently discovered not to be planet, Pluto. Of course I'm just guessing and using my wild imagination.
2007-03-20 11:20:09 · answer #5 · answered by kalawarriorgodess006 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.. It is constanly expanding Outward.. Some say due to the " Big Bang"
2007-03-20 10:59:46 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
it did change, cuz before it was just gas and explosions, now its so big it basically has no end. and also more debris.
2007-03-20 11:17:34 · answer #7 · answered by angeleyes_0613 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋