Solar System Formation
Interstellar Cloud Collapses




This cloud is called a nebula
Contains Hydrogen (92%), Helium (7%) and
less than one percent other materials
Why?
•
•
Not known
Heat and Pressure Drop and Loses Against
Gravity
Solar System Formation
 Center
of Mass Forms a Star, Additional
Mass is attracted towards the center and
form a nebula


Rotational Speed of the Cloud Increases
Think Figure Skater
Star and Planet Formation
 The

Spinning Nebula Flattens in a Disk
Think Pizza Dough
 Planets
Form from the Disk of Gas and
Dust

Planetesimals
• Small irregular shape bodies
Formation of Planets
Inner
Outer
 High Temps
 Cold Temps
 Only Metals (Fe and
 Ices of Ammonia,
Silicates) Solidified
Methane, Carbon
Dioxide and Water
 Small, because of the
where able to solidify
sun’s gravitational pull
 Became large enough
to capture the
remaining He and
Hydrogen
Orion Nebula
Eagle Nebula
Lagoon Nebula
Horse Head Nebula
Asteroids
 Large
Rocks Orbiting the Sun
 Most are Found in the Asteroid Belt
Between Mars and Jupiter
 Why do we have a Asteroid Belt?

Most Scientist Believe that the Asteroid Belt is
made up of remnants of a planet that would of
formed had it not been for Jupiter
Solar System Debris
 Meteors



and Asteroids
Meteor: Bright Streak of Lights in the Sky
Meteoroid: the Particles that Bring About the
Light
Meteorites: Are the Remnants of a Meteoroid
found on Earth
Properties and Stats
 Frequency


3



300 tons of Extraterrestrial Rock and Dust Fall
on Earth Each Day
Usually you Can See a Meteor once Every
Several Minutes on any Given Night
Types
Stony 94%
Irons 5%
Stony Irons 1%
Comets
 Dirty
Snowballs
 1-10 km in Diameter
 Orbit the Sun, Produce a “Tail” When they
get within 3 AU of the Sun
 Tail Points Away from the Sun
 Two Types of Comets


Short Period (Orbital Period < 200yrs)
Long Period (Orbital Period > 200yrs)
Anatomy of a Comet
Typical Comet Orbit
Comet Hale Bopp 1997
Comet Hale Bopp
Comets Stats
 Eccentricity


Orbital Period


0.995
2537 Years
Next Visit

4380
Haley’s Comet 1986
Comets Stats
 Eccentricity


0.967
Period


76 Years
2061
Comets
 Oort



Cloud
100,000 AU from the Solar System
Long Period Comets
Orbital Periods Greater than a Million Years
Oort Cloud
Comets
 Kupier




Belt
30-500 AU
35,000 objects with Diameters Greater than
100km
Short Period Comets Originate From Here
Haley’s Comet
Kupier Belt
Fate of Comets
 Each
Time a Comet Passes about 1% of
the nucleus is burned off
 Dust Particles Break Off, if Earth’s Orbit
intersects comets orbit, We Experience
Meteor Showers
 If Pass Very Shortly After the Comet
Passes, We Experience a Meteor Storm
Famous Meteor Showers
Shower
Dates
Comet
Lyrids
April 20 -23
Comet 1861 I
Eta
May 3 – 5
Halley’s
Perseids
Aug. 12
Comet 1862 III
Orionids
Oct 20
Halley’s Comet
Taurids
Nov. 3 – 13
Comet Encke
Leonids
Nov. 18
Comet 1866 I
Shoemaker Levy 9 Jul/Aug 94
SL9 Cont’d
Meteor Shower