planetary formation theories

Planetary formation theories describe how planets develop from cosmic material. The most accepted idea is that a star forms from a cloud of gas and dust, and leftover material around it begins to clump together. Tiny particles collide and stick, gradually building larger bodies called planetesimals. These grow through further collisions into protoplanets, which eventually clear their orbits and become planets. In our solar system, this process formed the rocky planets close to the Sun and gas giants farther out. Variations in material and temperature led to different types of planets, explaining the diversity we observe today.