* Protostars are the precursors to stars. They are massive clouds of gas and dust that collapse under their own gravity. This collapse eventually leads to the formation of a star.
* Planets form from the leftover material of a protoplanetary disk. This disk is a rotating cloud of gas and dust that surrounds a young star. Over time, particles in this disk collide and stick together, gradually forming larger bodies.
Here's the basic timeline:
1. Giant Molecular Cloud: A vast cloud of gas and dust begins to collapse under its own gravity.
2. Protostar Formation: As the cloud collapses, the center becomes denser and hotter, forming a protostar.
3. Protoplanetary Disk Formation: The remaining material in the cloud forms a rotating disk around the protostar.
4. Planetesimal Formation: Dust and gas particles in the disk collide and stick together, forming larger bodies called planetesimals.
5. Planetary Formation: Planetesimals continue to collide and grow, eventually forming planets.
So, while the Earth formed in the same region of space as our sun, it wasn't formed from the protostar itself. It formed from the material left over after the sun was born.
