News From the Field
New Computer Simulations Show How Special the Solar System Is

August 7, 2008

Prevailing theoretical models attempting to explain the formation of the solar system have assumed it to be average. Now, a new study by Northwestern University astronomers--the first to model the formation of planetary systems from beginning to end--illustrates the solar system is pretty special. Their results show that the average planetary system's origin was violent, but that the formation of something like our solar system required conditions to be "just right." Full Story

Source
Northwestern University

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