Blogpost 7: The Solar System

As we grow up, we were taught that our Earth we live in is a part of the solar system. They were many theories of our solar system since the older days. Scientists and astronomers back then even thought that the Earth was in the middle of the solar system and the other planets and the sun revolves around it. But now we somehow know alot about our solar system,  but did we actually know everything? Every detail?

There is an article I've read about the solar system entitled, Our Solar System: Facts, Formation and Discovery written by Charles Q. Choi from space.com. It is stated there that our solar system was formed from a nebula, a giant massive nebula called the "solar nebula." Like how a nebula would form, it rotated and spun like a disk. Then, the materials pulled together to form the sun. Other particles collided with each other then eventually created the planets. The rocks or the leftovers became the asteroid and comets. According to scientists there are 2 types of planets in our solar system, the "terrestrial worlds" and the "four gas giants" or the "outer planets." The ones who are called terrestrial are the planets Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. They're called terrestrial because of it's rocky state and "earthlike" structures because they are made of iron and rock. They're also similiar in size and composition. Then the outer planets are the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. They were called gas giants because of their mass made of gases and also, its cold temperature. They are also made up of hydrogen and helium and they have no solid surfaces, but may have rocky cores.

Scientists also consider little asteroids as planets, they call it the "minor planets" that circle the sun circle the sun in the region of the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. They estimated about 750,000 asteroids that circles. They sometimes lead and collide with other planets, or sometimes it can include Earth.






Then there's the comets. Also called the "dirty snowballs" because of its icy and rocky formation. To be specific, scientists told that comets are made of dust, ice, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane, and etc. Scientists say that the comets orbit the sun but have a specific area inhabiting called the "Oort Cloud" which surrounds the sun. They said that that's why we see comets with beautiful tails or whatever you may call it, it's because when they orbit the sun the central nucleus of it turns into gas and spreads. Also, they added the fact that the icy particles were being melted then follows the orbit of the comet. That is why we are seeing them with bright tails.

"Our solar system is a vast place, with lots of mostly empty space between planets. But out there are comets, asteroids, and more rocky frozen objects yet to be discovered in the Oort Cloud." -Charles Q. Choi, the author.

These facts are really astonishing to know. Of course knowing its formation and types, singularity and the connections between every thing in our universe. It was interesting and entertaining to study these kinds of differences.

Now, we all know that there are 8 planets in our solar system. Before it was 9 but they omitted Pluto because of its lacking size. But have you ever wondered of a 10th planet? I've read an article entitled, Search from 'Planet X' Far From Over written by Nola Taylor Redd from space.com. They said that the hypothetical Planet X has been fruitless, but still, they're not calling it off. "I think astronomers will continue to search for a distant companion to the sun with every new, deeper survey," said Kevin Luhman of the University of Pennsylvania. Researchers discovered a dwarf planet orbiting the sun particularly, the unexplored Oort Cloud. They said that some of its orbitals can or may be considered as planet sized objects. But they also said that they still cannot detect it because of lack of instruments to use. They've discovered this using NASA'S WIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY EXPLORER (WISE), a telescope. Using that telescope made their findings more concrete, but through its very far location and revolution or also its setting one place to another, they've found it harder to see as it gets dimmer and draws far away. But at least, they say that they can soon know everything or see its exact components and elements of the mysterious "Planet X."

"We have natural desire to better determine the content of our solar system." -Kevin Luhman.

Discovering or studying another planet really eats scientists time. They may discover this before they die, or maybe they won't even finish this discovery by the time they're dead. But I'm also at least grateful that these scientists are really adding up new things on people's minds.

Knowing these kinds of things really heats up my hype as a researcher. Yet, scientists still set for their new learnings and discoveries by finding little pieces of information gathered through the use of technology. I also believe that someday, maybe we could discover or know everything that's outside our planet.