Order in Space: A Design Source Book

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a b Marochnik, L.; Mukhin, L. (1995). "Is Solar System Evolution Cometary Dominated?". In Shostak, G.S. (ed.). Progress in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life. Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series. Vol.74. p.83. Bibcode: 1995ASPC...74...83M. ISBN 0-937707-93-7. Cameron, A.G.W. (1985). "The partial volatilization of Mercury". Icarus. 64 (2): 285–294. Bibcode: 1985Icar...64..285C. doi: 10.1016/0019-1035(85)90091-0. The planets and other large objects in orbit around the Sun lie near the plane of Earth's orbit, known as the ecliptic. Smaller icy objects such as comets frequently orbit at significantly greater angles to this plane. [27] [28] Most of the planets in the Solar System have secondary systems of their own, being orbited by natural satellites called moons. Many of the largest natural satellites are in synchronous rotation, with one face permanently turned toward their parent. The four giant planets have planetary rings, thin bands of tiny particles that orbit them in unison. [29] Solar System Objects". NASA/JPL Solar System Dynamics. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021 . Retrieved 14 August 2023. This timeline generally does not distinguish achievements by a specific country or private company, as it considers humanity as a whole. See otherwise the timeline of private spaceflight or look for achievements by each space agency.

a b c d e According to IAU definitions, objects orbiting the Sun are classified dynamically and physically into three categories: planets, dwarf planets, and small Solar System bodies. a b c d e f Williams, David (27 December 2021). "Planetary Fact Sheet - Metric". NASA Goddard Space Flight Center . Retrieved 11 December 2022. Exploration: Ceres". NASA Science: Solar System Exploration. 26 June 2019. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021 . Retrieved 1 April 2022. Gonggong (67.38AU average from the Sun) is another dwarf planet in a comparable orbit to Eris, except that it is in a 3:10 resonance with Neptune. [182] It has one known moon, Xiangliu. [183] Farthest regions

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Lewis, John S., ed. (2004). Physics and Chemistry of the Solar System (2nded.). Elsevier. p.147. ISBN 978-0-124-46744-6. OCLC 475009299.

Animations of the Solar System's inner planets and outer planets orbiting; the latter animation is 100 times faster than the former. Jupiter is three times as far from the Sun as Mars. Besides Pluto, astronomers generally agree that at least four other Kuiper belt objects are dwarf planets, [157] though there is some doubt for Orcus, [164] and additional bodies have also been proposed: [165] Perlerin, Vincent (26 September 2017). "Definitions of terms in meteor astronomy (IAU)". International Meteor Organization. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018 . Retrieved 10 April 2022. Kargel, J. S. (1994). "Cryovolcanism on the icy satellites". Earth, Moon, and Planets. 67 (1–3): 101–113. Bibcode: 1995EM&P...67..101K. doi: 10.1007/BF00613296. S2CID 54843498. Archived from the original on 10 March 2020 . Retrieved 25 August 2019.a b Mumma, M. J.; Disanti, M. A.; Dello Russo, N.; Magee-Sauer, K.; Gibb, E.; Novak, R. (2003). "Remote infrared observations of parent volatiles in comets: A window on the early solar system". Advances in Space Research. 31 (12): 2563–2575. Bibcode: 2003AdSpR..31.2563M. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.575.5091. doi: 10.1016/S0273-1177(03)00578-7. Ekers, Ron. "IAU Planet Definition Committee". International Astronomical Union. Archived from the original on 3 June 2009 . Retrieved 13 October 2008. Timeline of spaceflight – Chronological list of events in spaceflight broken down as a separate article for each year Makemake (45.79AU average from the Sun), although smaller than Pluto, is the largest known object in the classical Kuiper belt (that is, a Kuiper belt object not in a confirmed resonance with Neptune). Makemake is the brightest object in the Kuiper belt after Pluto. Discovered in 2005, it was officially named in 2009. [166] Its orbit is far more inclined than Pluto's, at 29°. [167] It has one known moon. [168] Main articles: Asteroid belt and Asteroid Linear map of the inner Solar System, showing many asteroid populations

Rubin, Alan E.; Grossman, Jeffrey N. (February 2010). "Meteorite and meteoroid: new comprehensive definitions". Meteoritics and Planetary Science. 45 (1): 114. Bibcode: 2010M&PS...45..114R. doi: 10.1111/j.1945-5100.2009.01009.x. S2CID 129972426. Archived from the original on 25 March 2022 . Retrieved 10 April 2022.

The Solar System formed 4.568billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a region within a large molecular cloud. [e] This initial cloud was likely several light-years across and probably birthed several stars. [10] As is typical of molecular clouds, this one consisted mostly of hydrogen, with some helium, and small amounts of heavier elements fused by previous generations of stars. As the region that would become the Solar System, known as the pre-solar nebula, [11] collapsed, conservation of angular momentum caused it to rotate faster. The center, where most of the mass collected, became increasingly hotter than the surrounding disc. [10] As the contracting nebula rotated faster, it began to flatten into a protoplanetary disc with a diameter of roughly 200AU (30billionkm; 19billionmi) [10] and a hot, dense protostar at the center. [12] [13] The planets formed by accretion from this disc, [14] in which dust and gas gravitationally attracted each other, coalescing to form ever larger bodies. Hundreds of protoplanets may have existed in the early Solar System, but they either merged or were destroyed or ejected, leaving the planets, dwarf planets, and leftover minor bodies. [15] [16] Diagram of the early Solar System's protoplanetary disk, out of which Earth and other Solar System bodies formed Saturn flyby (closest approach 124,000km), close encounter of Titan and encounters with a dozen other moons.