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1.

Definition of a solar system: A solar system is a collection of celestial bodies that orbit around a
central star. These objects can include planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and other smaller
objects. The central star provides light and heat to the objects in the system and influences their
orbits and movements.

2. Components of a solar system: Planets are the most significant component of a solar system.
Some are terrestrial, meaning they are rocky and small, while others are gas giants, which are
large and composed mostly of gas. Moons or satellites are smaller bodies that orbit around the
planets, and can be either natural or artificial. Artificial satellites are man-made and used for
communication and other purposes. Asteroids and comets are small, rocky or icy objects that
also orbit the central star.

3. Types of planets: The planets in a solar system can be divided into two types: terrestrial and gas
giants. Terrestrial planets are small, rocky, and closer to the central star, while gas giants are
larger, composed mostly of gas, and farther from the central star. The terrestrial planets in our
solar system are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, while the gas giants are Jupiter, Saturn,
Uranus, and Neptune.

4. Orbit and ellipticity: The objects in a solar system, including planets and other celestial bodies,
orbit around the central star in a slightly elliptical path. This means that the path they take is not
a perfect circle, but instead resembles a squashed circle. The ellipticity of the orbit influences
the distance between the object and the central star, affecting the amount of light and heat
received by the object.

5. The role of gravity: Gravity is the force that holds all the objects in a solar system together. It
keeps the planets and other celestial bodies in orbit around the central star and controls their
movements. The strength of the gravitational force between two objects depends on the mass
of each object and the distance between them.

6. Scale of the solar system: Our solar system is just a small part of the Milky Way galaxy, which is a
collection of billions of stars. Galaxies, including the Milky Way, are scattered throughout the
universe, which is mostly empty space with immense distances between adjacent galaxies. The
scale of the universe is difficult to imagine, as it is incredibly vast and includes an estimated 100
billion galaxies.

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