2007-07-31 02:45:51 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The solar system started out as a mass of gas and dust. It collapsed under its own gravity. As it shrank, it began to spin faster; a good analogy is when an ice-skater draws in her arms she spins faster. The early (proto) star spins and will eject matter in a planetary disk; this is where planets will form (drawn together by gravity). The rotation of the planets that eventually form will be in the same direction and axis as the spinning mass of gas which produced the sun.
As has already been mentioned, some of the planets spin on their sides or backwards. Best guess is that they suffered collisions. Pluto is most likely a trapped asteroid or something similar, so need not have been spinning in the same direction as the other planets.
This should be true for other planetary systems, but I guess we are a long way off observing them!
Cheers,
Ben
2007-07-31 06:17:30 · answer #1 · answered by beonny1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This solar system was originally a huge nebula. The gasses are being pulled to a common center by gravity. Just like a drain the gases start swirling in a circle. This is the start of orbits.
As the circle swirls, then the planet spins.
The planets will spin in the direction of the planet because thatis where the friving force of the solar system makes it to go.
2007-07-31 02:55:19 · answer #2 · answered by eric l 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
So you don't want a north or south pole, Uranus spins this way it's the only planet that they know of that does this. There could be a lot more they can't see yet!
2007-08-03 12:13:13 · answer #3 · answered by book writer 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some do. Most of the planets spin on an axis nearly perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic but Uranus' axis is almost parallel to the ecliptic.
2007-07-31 02:50:17 · answer #4 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't. Uranus spins on its side, and so does Pluto (spare me the whole "Pluto is not a planet" thing). Venus spins retrograde. All but one of the planets (I forget which--Jupiter?) have a significant degree of tilt to their spin.
2007-07-31 05:08:41 · answer #5 · answered by Ryan H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe they do! And then the orbit around the sun would also be vertical... but we don't know for sure which way we spin, do we?
2007-07-31 04:35:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you need to do your research...uranus spins on it's side
2007-07-31 02:49:56 · answer #7 · answered by casw1 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋