NationStates Jolt Archive

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20061027/capt.5d58d60c26d74255bed2d3cf85073a98.spitzer_space_telescope_ny110.jpg?x=345&y=345&sig=k4bSsTUD.bcrRwEQI86gJw--

So, is this how the earth started? An exploding star.

Define "start."

As a simplified approximation it's still better than "a magical being in the sky did it," though.

The elements that make up the Earth certainly started in exploding stars but the planet itself? No, that wasn't so spectacular.

Well, all planets start as fragments of gas and dust that draw matter towards them until they create a large enough body. It takes a very long time though.

Yup. Beautiful, isn't it?

Yup. Beautiful, isn't it?

Not when it's the sun.

Well, the accepted theory is that gravity formed the planets from the disc of material left over from the sun's formation. Although I think I've heard people say that the original material was from an exploded star.

(accepted by scientists that is, not creationist wackos..... *gets assassinated*)

Not when it's the sun.

The Sun's not big enough to go supernova.

I wouldn't know, I wasn't there.

The Sun's not big enough to go supernova.

It will be. It's in the current process of shrinking, but then it's going to grow and go supernova.

It will be. It's in the current process of shrinking, but then it's going to grow and go supernova.

What are you talking about? The suns mass isn't high enough for supernova. When it turns into a red giant it's volume will change, but not its mass. It will turn into a white dwarf after the red giant stage. It wont go supernova.

:eek:


preeetty...

So originally there was a large star here that went boom, and supernova-ed creating our solar nebula. After time the dust began to settle, and the elements began to form planetesimals in the inner solar system, where all the heavy elements stayed due to gravity. The outer planets were balls of gas held down by lots of gravity. Anyways in the inner solar sytems these "pre-planets: slammed into each other nonstop for a long time, eventually forming our terrestrial planets. Well, for earth it wasn't over yet. You see the earth at the time was called earth mk1, it was smaller, and had no moon. Well a large body known as Orpheus slammed into the earth, increasing its size, and gave the earth rings for a temporary time. Well the particles in the rings collided to make our moon, which was like 50 times closer in the beginning. It was because of this collison with orppheus that life was able to spring forth on earth. So that was luck/ a blessing :)

It will be. It's in the current process of shrinking, but then it's going to grow and go supernova.

By growing, I assume you mean when the Sun runs starts running low on fuel and expands into a red giant. It's predicted it will then shrink in as it cools down into a white dwarf. The expansion into a red dwarf is not caused by a major increase in mass, rather gravity starting to lose in keeping it together.

It was because of this collison with orppheus that life was able to spring forth on earth. So that was luck/ a blessing :)

How was it because of the moon?

Earth is made up of bits of gas and dust left over from the creation of the sun. Thats right, we're god's leftover casserole...