How do planets form?
The formation of planets is a fascinating process that occurs within the context of star formation. Here's a breakdown of the key stages: * The Solar Nebula: * It all begins with a giant cloud of gas and dust called a molecular cloud. * This cloud collapses under its own gravity, often triggered by a disturbance like a nearby supernova. * As the cloud collapses, it spins and flattens into a rotating disk known as a protoplanetary disk or solar nebula. * Most of the material in the center of this disk forms the star (like our Sun). * Accretion: * The remaining dust and gas in the disk begin to clump together. * Tiny dust grains collide and stick together, forming larger and larger particles. * This process, called accretion, continues as these particles grow into pebble-sized, then boulder-sized, and eventually planetesimal-sized objects. * Planetesimals are essential...