Celestial Diversity
Pankaj Singh
| 27-02-2024
· Science team
The solar system is a planetary system centered around the star, the Sun, within the Milky Way galaxy. It is composed of celestial bodies under the Sun's gravitational influence and orbit around it.
Situated on the outer edge of the galactic spiral arms where stellar clouds and interstellar matter are denser, the solar system has a diameter of 12 billion kilometers. The solar system's formation began approximately 4.6 billion years ago through the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud.
The solar system includes the Sun and the eight major planets in order of distance from the Sun: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Additionally, it encompasses two asteroid belts, over 10,000 numbered asteroids, 69 moons, more than 1,500 observed comets, over 700 meteoroid streams, and countless meteoroids and interplanetary materials.
With 99.87% of the system's mass, the Sun is the largest celestial body, followed by Jupiter. The solar system's density is 8.8×10 grams per cubic centimeter. The planets, led by the Sun, orbit the galactic center at a speed of 250 kilometers per second, completing a revolution every 250 million years.
Within the solar system is a star called the Sun, followed by the eight major planets, asteroid belts, the Kuiper Belt, and the Oort Cloud, which are gravitationally bound to the Sun. Numerous comets and celestial bodies also exist, all formed initially from a primordial nebula of material.
In the central part of the nebula, gravitational forces caused the material to attract and merge, forming the primordial stellar core within the Sun. Subsequently, the stellar core continued to attract surrounding matter, gradually creating the initial gaseous giant planet until the mass of the primitive Sun reached a critical value, triggering internal nuclear fusion reactions and igniting the Sun into a star.
After the formation of the Sun, the remaining primordial nebula continued to orbit, and planetary bodies took several hundred million years to form. Due to its massive gravity and mass, the Sun attracted nearby material, resulting in less material for creating planets closer to the Sun. Planets formed closer to the Sun, such as Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, are smaller and predominantly composed of solid materials, referred to as "solid terrestrial planets."
In contrast, outer planets like Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, with greater mass, are predominantly composed of gaseous elements, earning them the designation of "gas giant planets." Uranus and Neptune, being farther from the Sun and having lower temperatures, exhibit a surface condensation forming an "ice shell," classifying them as "ice giants," a subset of gas giant planets.
It's not that planets closer or farther from the Sun don't want to "grow"; there isn't enough material for these smaller bodies to develop into gas giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn. In summary, gravitational forces, tidal forces, and the Sun's energy contribute to the uneven distribution and aggregation of matter, maintaining the balance within the solar system.
Surviving and developing into a giant planet in the solar system, like Saturn, requires a certain level of ability, even if it means having a large size and maintaining a relatively uniform composition in the vicinity.
The solar system is vast, comprising the Sun, planets, moons, and various celestial bodies. Formed around 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of an interstellar molecular cloud, it has undergone a complex evolution.
The planets, categorized as solid terrestrial or gas giants, showcase diversity within this intricate balance. Maintained by factors like universal gravity and tidal forces, the solar system stands as a harmonious celestial symphony, each celestial body contributing its unique tale to the universe's grand narrative.