Nebular Beginning

The solar system formed approximately 4.6 billion years ago from a giant molecular cloud of gas and dust. This solar nebula began collapsing under its own gravity, with the central region becoming increasingly dense and hot. As the cloud collapsed, it began spinning faster, flattening into a disk around the proto-sun. This rotation preserved the angular momentum of the original nebula.

Planet Formation

Within the rotating disk, particles collided and stuck together, forming progressively larger objects. Close to the sun, only rocky materials could survive the intense heat, creating the inner terrestrial planets. Further out, where temperatures were cooler, ice and lighter elements remained, allowing gas giants to form. This process of accretion took approximately 100 million years.

Evolution and Stability

The early solar system experienced a period of chaos as planetary orbits stabilized. Many smaller bodies were ejected or absorbed by larger planets, while others formed the asteroid belt and Kuiper belt. The current arrangement of planets represents a stable configuration that has persisted for billions of years, though continuous minor changes occur through asteroid impacts and gravitational interactions.Shutdown123