The Formation of the Solar System

Scientists theorize that the formation of the Solar System took place when a nebula contracted around 4.6 billion years ago. When this happened, the Sun began its nuclear processes. Today, the Solar System is home to the Sun, eight planets, several dwarf planets, moons, comets, and asteroids. Earth is an appropriate distance from the Sun to sustain life. It is possible that other planets in other Solar Systems could exist in habitable zones around their stars. Current technologies search the skies for these planets in hopes of finding another Earth-like planet orbiting a faraway star.