ORIGIN OF THE

SOLAR SYSTEM
 BRIEF HISTORY
Geocentric Model (6TH century B.C.E.)
• They believed the Earth
was the most important
object in space and
therefore assumed it to
be the center of the
universe.
• According to Ptolemy’s
model, the planets
moved on small circles
that in turn moved on
larger circles.
 BRIEF HISTORY

Heliocentric Model (16TH century B.C.E.)

• Although Copernicus
adopted Ptolemy’s idea
that planets’ orbits are
perfect circles, he however
developed Aristarchus’s
primitive sun-centered
model into a well thought
out heliocentric model.
 BRIEF HISTORY
• Galileo Galilei was a
scientist who conducted
his experiments in the
manner of moderns
scientists. He actually used
a very systematic approach
very similar to the scientific
methods.
• Galileo’s observations
showed that they are other
celestial objects beside
Earth with orbiting
satellites.
• His discovery best fit the
heliocentric model.
OUR GALAXY: THE MILKY WAY
SOLAR SYSTEM - the
SUN together with the other celestial
bodies that are held by its attraction
and revolve around it.
 Vortex Theory (Rene
Descartes,1630)
• the whirlpool-like motion of the pre-solar materials
formed into bodies with nearly circular orbits.
 Collision Theory (George Louis
Leclerc, Comte de Buffon,1749)
• Planets were formed by the collision of the sun with a giant comet.
• The resulting debris formed into planets that rotate in the same
direction as they revolve around the sun.
Tidal Hypothesis (Jean and
Jeffrey, 1917)
• A dualistic theory in which the
sun and planets were produced
by different mechanism.
• Massive star passes within the
Sun, pulling out material in the
form of a filament.
• Filament is gravitationally
unstable, and breaks into
series of blobs of masses
greater than the critical mass,
and so collapse to form proto-
planets.
• Planets were left in orbit about
the Sun. The torn off material
subsequently condensed to
form the planets.
 Nebular Hypothesis (Kant,1755)

• A great cloud of gas and dust called NEBULA begins to collapse because
of gravitational pull. As the cloud contracted, it spuns more rapidly.
• The spinning cloud flattens particles in a pancake-shaped object with a
bulge at the center. And as the nebular collapses further , local regions
contract on their own gravity. These local regions become the sun and the
planets.
Solar Nebular Theory (Laplace, 1795)
• Solar system was formed as a result of the
condensation of hydrogen gas and dust
referred to as interstellar gas and dust cloud.
• The gas and dust cloud collapsed due to the
force of gravity . The center compressed
enough to become a PROTOSTAR leaving
the outer material suspended around the
center.
• As the cloud continued to shrink, its rotational
speed increased and became a rapidly
rotating DISK.
• The contraction converted gravitational
energy into heat energy and caused the
center to glow.
• When the temperature was sufficient
enough , a nuclear reaction began at the core
of the protostar and became the SUN.
• The remaining gas dust cloud formed disk-
shaped bodies (due to rotation) called
SOLAR NEBULAE, came together to form
planets.
 FORMATION OF PLANET:
PLANETISIMAL THEORY (Chamberlin and
Moulton,1900’s)

Everywhere in the solar At different places in the

nebula, tiny pieces of
matter started
condensing from the gas
(CONDENSATION)
solar nebula, these “little bits
of grit” were different
compounds

Eventually, these planetesimals These small pieces of

collected into objects the size of
planets. Gravity got into the act
when the planetesimals got big to
form into a planet (ACCRETION)
matter stuck to others,
making larger sized blocks
(THE PLANETISIMALS)
Condensation
• Size and composition of planetesimals depends on
temperature and distance from Sun.
• Inner solar system
– Within frost line, only rock and metals can
condense.
– Planetesimals therefore made of rock and metals.
– Constitute ~ 0.6% of available material by mass.
– Inner planetismals therefore grew more slowly.
– Inner planets are therefore smaller.
• Outer solar system
– Beyond frost line, rock, metals and ices
condensed.
– Planetesimals therefore contain these materials.
– Constitute ~ 2% of available material by mass.
– Outer planetisimals therefore grew more quickly.
– Outer planetesimals are therefore larger.
• These process resulted in elementary planetary cores.
 Accretion
• After condensation, growth of solid particles occurs due to collisions. Grain-sized particles form centimeter-sized
particles which would later grow to several kilometers in diameters. Formation of more massive objects form
coalescing planetisimals that would later become the planets.

Planetesimals Protoplanets Planets

Two Kinds of Planets

Terrestrial (earthlike)
Jovian (Jupiter-like) planets:
planets: Mercury, Venus,
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Earth, Mars
Neptune
 Planetary Orbits
All planets in
almost circular Orbits generally
(elliptical) orbits inclined by no
Mercury around the Sun, in more than 3.4°
Venus approximately the
Exceptions:
same plane
(ecliptic). Mercury (7°)
rs

Sense of revolution:
Ma

counter-clockwise
er

Earth
pit

Sense of rotation:
Ju

counter-clockwise
(with exception of
Venus, and
Uranus)
t urn
Sa

e
us

tun
an
Ur

Nep
(distances and times reproduced to scale)
 Two Kinds of Planets
Planets of our solar system can be divided
into two very different kinds:

1. Terrestrial
(earthlike) planets: 2. Jovian (Jupiter-like)
Mercury, Venus, planets: Jupiter, Saturn,
Earth, Mars Uranus, Neptune
 Terrestrial Planets
• Four inner
planets of the
solar system
• Relatively
small in size
and mass
(Earth is the
largest and
most massive)

• Rocky surface

• The surface of Venus can not be

seen directly from Earth because of
its dense cloud cover.
Craters on Planets’ Surfaces
Craters (like on
our Moon’s
surface) are
common
throughout the
Solar System.

Craters are not

seen on Jovian
planets
because they
don’t have a
solid surface.
 The Jovian Planets
Much larger in mass and size than terrestrial planets

Much lower
average density

All have rings

(not only Saturn!)

Mostly gas;
no solid surface
END