1. Birth of the Solar System

3. See The Birth Of A Solar System

4. The Birth of the Solar System Approximately 5 billion years ago, our solar system was an immense cloud of dust and gas. Following the explosion of a nearby star, the cloud began to flatten and spin.

5. Some debris released from the explosion clustered in a central mass. Gradually, this mass accumulated enough heat to become a star. Our Sun was born.

6. Other debris assembled to form the planets of our present solar system. At the same time, still more debris formed comets, asteroids, and the planets’ natural satellites.