Formation of the Sun and Planets

Formation of the Sun and Planets

The Sun and planets formed from a vast cloud of gas and dust known as the solar nebula. Around 4.6 billion years ago, gravity pulled this material together, causing the center to heat up and ignite the Sun. The remaining gas and dust clumped together to create planets, moons, and other cele...

Giant clouds of gas and dust in space, called nebulae, are the birthplace of stars and our solar system.

About 5 billion years ago, one of these nebulae formed our Sun and solar system, as explained by the nebular hypothesis.

According to this hypothesis, the solar system began as a cold, spinning cloud of gas and dust called the sol...