How the First Planets Formed

[Sassa]

How the First Planets Formed

Asteroids jumped in size significantly

Questions related to how the solar system appeared some 4.7 billion years ago have been around since the first people started using their brains for more than capturing their next meal. Science has only recently been able to provide some preliminary answers to this type of questions, although numerous ones still remain unanswered. Now, experts at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in Pasadena, California, solve a small piece of the mystery, by proposing a theory on how the planets in the solar system today formed.

Astronomical observations have thus far revealed the fact that young stars, which have just formed, are generally surrounded by a ring of debris left from their own formation, called the protoplanetary disk. These structures are the precursors of large-scale planets, in spite of the fact that they are only made up of dust at first. According to a leading theory on how planets formed, grains of dust would orbit the newly formed star at high speeds, bumping and clogging with each other, until they formed larger grains of dust.

Through numerous cycle repeats, the grains would eventually reach the size of small rocks, and so on. After a while, the theory goes, some of these rocks would grow to asteroid sizes, and then beyond, to small planets. The problem with this line of reasoning is that space rocks larger than one meter (three feet) in diameter would have been significantly slowed down by gas in the protoplanetary disk, which would have caused them to spiral down into the Sun and get vaporized. According to the new theory, it may be that the small rocks “jumped” in size suddenly, from one meter to several kilometers in diameter.

The newly formed objects would have had enough drag to plow through the protoplanetary disk under these circumstances, overcoming the influence of the gas, whilst having their own orbits only slightly modified. The data used for this conclusion was drawn from astronomical observations, which show that asteroids less than one kilometer in diameter can be found in abundance, while the number of those over this limit is extremely limited. The JPL experts propose that the asteroids we see today are what was left behind after the original, much larger ones, broke apart.

Source: Softpedia

 

[Tews]

Its getting too late for these types of questions....

 

[swarfega]

I knew this being keen in astronomy and I try to never miss an episode of Sky at Night.

 

[matt_0978]

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. That's my belief.

 

[Steve123MC]

This should answer all your questions

 

[Steve123MC]

Glad you watched the video, The quotes at the end of the video is the best part.

 

[matt_0978]

Glad you watched the video, The quotes at the end of the video is the best part.

u mean the printed bits or the narrative?

as for God being tired that's just absurd,
'..due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power' Isa 40:26 :sarc:

 

[holo88]

i think 'god' and science should stay in their designated corners, or this thread could get real ugly.

interesting read Sassa.

 

[Sassa]

i think 'god' and science should stay in their designated corners, or this thread could get real ugly.

interesting read Sassa.

Interesting indeed...

 

[holo88]

Interesting indeed...

i smell a hint of hostility. am i wrong?
i say that because of personal experience. a few years ago, on a forum far far away, someone fired up the "age old question". it quickly turned into a wildfire argument of titanic proportions that resulted in 20+ consecutive banns. some of them high ranked members. i personally didnt 'get the axe' nor did i instigate the breakout. i was merely an observer to the chaos. i'd rather not see anyone get booted for the same thing, here. i have grown rather fond of this forum, and hope that it will continue with it's colorful characters, not ripping each others throats out, trying to prove themselves right in such a way. it just to much of a touchy subject for anyone to maintain a sturdy rational state. i hope you can understand where im going with this (all of you). well then...

did anyone happen to catch that episodic series on the Discovery channel? *forgot name, googling* *cant find*. anyway, it was based on the theory that at one point, all of the mass in the universe was in one HUGE mass. that hit critical mass, blew up, and sent billions upon billions of particles through out space, which resulted in all the planets/ stars and such. it was a very intriguing story. i think it aired last summer. if i find it, i'll have to post it here.

 

[holo88]

It is his thread. Can you smell what the Rock is cooking?

As for the Big Bang, well...

i think you may have me wrong, Mr.Ant. or may not.... you pretty much confuse me at every turn.

 

[holo88]

well played as per usual. but alas i think i am the one who failed. i failed to destinguish which bus i ride. the one off to Florida, to watch 5 million dollars of fuel get shot into the sky, for no rhyme or reason. or the on with all the singing boys and girls, off to some distant, remote region to discuss burning bushes and such with the local natives.
i also failed at boarding one of said buses. like i said, i am an observer. no more or less. i watch the 2 sides battle time and time again, and take comfort in the simple fact that: Neither will win, because neither can loose. the burden of proof is heavy. far to heavy for any mortal to carry. i do enjoy your posts, as well Mr.Ant, once i actually understand them, that is.

to be continued, another time perhaps. (using reason, and rational thought makes me tired)

 

[Danilo]

Our planet is old as like 7000 years... any calendar in judaisam will have records only about 5000 years BC...that is far as it go... No record before 5000 BC... The stuff with milions and milions of years are just guessing... And yes i beleve that somebody (we call it god) create world in short time ... The supreme Being created all ... I once watched some sientist that expaind scientifficaly how is possible that world can be created in shuch a short time but sadly i dont have any english version of that... only serbian and if anybody are interested and know Serbian language i will upload it ...

 

[ten]

This thread has turned comical as of late.

 

[Tews]

This thread has turned comical as of late.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa... :roflmao:

 

[SquonkSC]

I think both religion and reason teaches us to respect each other.

That's all one needs to keep in mind, before engaging in any argument about the differences between the two.

My own thought.
I think science is as much a matter of belief as religion is.

Thing's I was thought about the universe when I was still in school have somewhat (dramatically) changed over the years, and they will continue to change.
Back then we also knew of only one kind of Tyrannosaurus, now it turns out there were many kinds.


Thankfully, a lot of religious people around me have also developed their interpretations of their believe.

Even people believing in the same God, can't always see eye to eye.
And they don't have to.

As long as we don't impose or force our believe on others, we will do just fine.


For the record, I don't believe in a higher being,(except my wife ) I do believe in love, and that we are here to support each other.

That should be enough by anybody's standards.

 

[mickey megabyte]

As for the untoward behavior witnessed elsewhere, well, it happens. Humans have a tendency to believe things that they cannot know. It is perfectly reasonable to me that, perhaps, God knew how to make everything except plastic. He created all that is for the express purpose that a species would form from his Creation and develop polymer technology. Now that this world, and possibly others, is accumulating sufficient amounts of plastics, our species may no longer be essential to further development of God's plan. He may wish to encase stellar objects in shrink wrap and market them to lesser gods as tasty snack treats. Of course, I could be wrong.

in the beginning, there was ANTMAN

now you all know why i laugh so much at you puny earthlings! :roflmao:

 

[SquonkSC]

Funny, I've always pictured God looking a bit like Antman. Coincidence?

(no disrespect intended to believers, God gave us a sense of humor right?)

 

[mickey megabyte]

strange, i always pictured god as looking like alexander graham bell. :huh:

 

[Sassa]

Very interesting discussion....
I'm glad to see you people entertaining yourselves...