How did the solar system form?

 

How did the solar system form?

The solar system of the sun and the planets were born about 15000 million years ago. According to the scientists, they formed out of a huge cloud of gas and dust or a nebula. Due to a natural phenomenon, this cloud collapsed and it began to shrink under the pull of gravity. Over a period of time, it slowly developed into a spinning disc of matter forming a lump in its centre.

Over a period of thousands of years, the middle lump of the solid matter becomes smaller and hotter. In the end, it began to shine and give out light. As for the other solid matter in the disc, it joined together in several small lumps of rock and gas to form the nine planets. Over the next thousands of years, the sun and the planets changed into what the solar system looks like today.

How big is the sun?

The sun is 109 times the diameter of the earth. In other words, it is 1,392,530 kilometres across. The sun is so enormous that over a million earth can be squashed together into its globe. Yet, it is only a medium-sized star and much smaller than some very big stars. For example, Betelgeuse, The bright reddish star found in the constellation of Orion, is about 300 times the diameter of the sun. In fact, it is bigger than even the orbit of the planet Mars.

How does the sun keep shining constantly?

Every object, even the tiniest one, contains millions of atoms. Each atom contains even tinier particles. As for the sun, it is made up of ninety per cent hydrogen atoms, about nine per cent helium atoms and one per cent elements, such as oxygen and nitrogen.

Like all-stars, the sun is a spinning ball of enormously hot gases, most of it being hydrogen. But it does not burn like an ordinary fire.

What happens is that at the sun's core or centre?

A certain process takes place that similar to the one occurring in an atom bomb. Through this process, the sun changes the matter into energy.

How does this happen?

Well, at the centre or the core of the sun, the temperature is so high that the atoms of hydrogen gas fuse together and form helium. This process gives out a burst of energy in the form of heat and light. As this process of changing matter into energy goes on occurring, the sun goes on producing light and heat. This is how the sun keeps hot and shining, as do in fact, all-stars.

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