ASTR 001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Orion Nebula, Formation And Evolution Of The Solar System, Electromagnetism
Document Summary
Nebular theory- solar system formed from a giant, swirling cloud of gas & dust. The nebular theory holds that our solar system formed out of a nebula which collapsed under its own gravity. Observational evidence : we observe stars in the process of forming today, they are always found within interstellar clouds of gas. Newly born stars in the orion nebula. Solar nebula name given to the cloud of gas from which our own solar system formed. The solar nebular was initially somewhat spherical and a few light years in diameter. It (cid:449)as gi(cid:448)e(cid:374) a (cid:862)push(cid:863) (cid:271)y so(cid:373)e e(cid:448)e(cid:374)t. Perhaps the shock wave from a nearby supernova. As the nebula shrank, gravity increased, causing further collapse. As the (cid:374)e(cid:271)ula (cid:862)fell(cid:863) i(cid:374)(cid:449)ard, gravitational potential energy was converted to heat. Theory must explain the data: large bodies in the solar system have orderly motions, there are two types of planets.
