The Formation of the Solar System
About 4.6 billion years ago, our solar system came into being. This comic strip explains the processes that led to the creation of the planets and the asteroid belt.
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About 4.6 billion years ago, a cloud of interstellar dust, ice crystals, and gas collapsed to form a rapidly rotating disk with a young sun at its center: our solar system. This comic strip, a supplement to the Hall of Meteorites Educator's Guide, explains:
- The processes that led to the creation of the planets and the asteroid belt.
Less than 1 period
Supplement a study of astronomy with an activity drawn from this kid-friendly look at the formation of our solar system.
- Ask students what they know about gravity and outer space. Does gravity exist in space? What role, if any, did it play in the formation of our solar system?
- Hand out copies of The Formation of the Solar System comic strip.
- Have students write a one-page response to the comic strip, focusing on what they learned about gravity's role in the formation of the solar system.