PV Gap

Bill Said:

can you give me some information on the solar system?

We Answered:

The Solar System is our local neighborhood; it is comprised of our Sun, our 8 planets, the dwarf planets, their moons, and the asteroids, all revolving around the Sun. The Sun contains 99.8% of all the mass of everything in our Solar System. That is an amazing fact.

The origin of our Solar System took place billions of years before there were any people around to witness it. Our own evolution is tied closely to the evolution of the Solar System. Thus, without understanding from where the Solar System came from, it is difficult to comprehend how mankind came to be.

Scientists believe that the Solar System evolved from a giant cloud of dust and gas. They believe that this dust and gas began to collapse under the weight of its own gravity. As it did so, the matter in this could begin moving in a giant circle, much like the water in a drain moves around the center of the drain in a circle.

At the center of this spinning cloud, a small star begin to form. This star grew larger and larger, as it collected more of the dust and gas that were collapsing into it.

Further away from the star that was forming in the center were smaller clumps of dust and gas that were also collapsing. The star in the center eventually ignited forming our Sun, while the smaller clumps became the planets, minor planets, moons, comets, and asteroids.

Once ignited, the Sun's powerful solar winds began to blow. These winds, which are made up of atomic particles being blown outward away from the Sun, slowly pushed the remaining gas and dust out of the Solar System.

With no more gas or dust, the planets, minor planets, moons, comets, and asteroids stopped growing. There were likely more planets, but some of them collided with one another. Actually, Earth collided with a smaller planet billions of years ago which formed our 1 Moon.

Nicole Said:

Where can I find latest information on the Solar System? ?

We Answered:

www.nasa.gov