AST101H1 Lecture : Chapter 8 notes

• School: UTSG
• Department: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• Course: AST101H1
• Professor: Michael Reid

Document Summary

interstellar cloud is usually called a nebula. in 1755, german philosopher immanuel kant proposed that our solar system formed from the gravitational collapse of an interstellar cloud of gas. This theory was also called the nebular hypothesis. according to the close encounter hypothesis, the planets formed from blobs of gas that had been gravitationally pulled out of the sun during the near-collision. few modifications to the nebular theory offered natural explanations for all 4 general features of our solar system. the solar system came from a cloud of gas called the solar nebula (cold and low density gas) that collapsed under its own gravity. The cloud of gas was product of galactic recycling that occurred before our solar system was born. the big bang essentially produced two chemicals, hydrogen and helium. Heavier elements were produced later by massive stars and released into space when they died.