* Nebular Hypothesis: The most widely accepted theory of solar system formation is the nebular hypothesis. This theory states that our solar system began as a giant cloud of gas and dust called a nebula.
* Gravitational Collapse: Over time, the nebula collapsed under its own gravity. As it collapsed, the material in the center of the nebula became denser and hotter.
* Protostar Formation: Eventually, the core of the collapsing nebula became hot and dense enough to ignite nuclear fusion. This marked the birth of the Sun, a protostar.
* Planetary Disk Formation: The remaining material in the nebula that didn't get pulled into the Sun formed a disk of dust and gas around it. This disk is called a protoplanetary disk.
* Planet Formation: Over millions of years, the particles in the protoplanetary disk collided and stuck together, gradually forming larger and larger bodies, eventually becoming the planets we know today.
In short: The Sun formed first, followed by the planets, all from the same initial cloud of material.
