Solar System Formation and Characteristics

A unit of measurement used to express distances within our solar system.

The average distance between the Earth and the Sun.

Approximately 150,000,000 kilometers.

It provides a convenient and understandable scale for measuring distances within the solar system.

It is the most appropriate and convenient unit for expressing relatively large distances within the solar system.

A unit of measurement used for distances in space, representing the distance light travels in one year.

The distance light travels in 1 year, approximately 9.5 trillion kilometers.

Astronomical units (AU) are not suitable for measuring vast distances between stars due to their limited scale.

Distances between stars are too vast to be measured in astronomical units (AU).

The process by which our solar system, including Earth, was formed, starting approximately 4.6 billion years ago.

The period in Earth's early history when it was extensively bombarded by asteroids, meteors, and comets, lasting until about 3.9 billion years ago.

The point in Earth's history when the Late Heavy Bombardment ended, allowing conditions to become suitable for the emergence of life.

The beginning of life on Earth, which occurred after the Late Heavy Bombardment ended. Life arose from non-living matter.

A process by which simple, non-living molecules combine to form more complex structures, eventually leading to the origin of life.

A spiral-shaped collection of billions of stars, gas, and dust, where our Solar System resides.

The galaxy closest to our Milky Way, located about 25,000 light-years away.

A massive spiral galaxy located about 2.5 million light-years from our Milky Way.

A group of galaxies that includes the Milky Way and Andromeda, among others.

A vast and seemingly infinite expanse containing countless celestial bodies and galaxies.

The planet we live on, consisting primarily of rock.

Earth's shape is like a ball, slightly flattened at the poles.

Earth's diameter is approximately 12,700 kilometers.

It would take 17 days to drive around Earth at a constant speed of 100 kilometers per hour.

Light travels so fast that it would take just 0.13 seconds to go around Earth.

The constant flow of charged particles from the Sun that extends far beyond the solar system.

The star that Earth orbits.

The Sun is mainly composed of hydrogen and helium.

The boundary between the Solar Wind and interstellar space, located about 100 AU from the Sun.

Nuclear fusion in the Sun's core generates heat and light, which helps it resist its own gravity.

The region of the Milky Way Galaxy within approximately 20 light-years from the Sun, encompassing nearby stars.

The Sun is a sphere, a 3D round shape.

The distance that light travels in one year, equal to about 10 trillion kilometers.

The Sun's diameter is 1.39 million kilometers across.

The average distance between the Sun and Pluto, approximately 40 astronomical units.

Stars within the Solar Neighborhood generally move together with the Sun as it orbits the galactic center.

The size of stars depicted in images often represents their brightness, not their actual size.

The term "Solar Neighborhood" is loosely defined and not scientifically precise.

A collection of galaxies that are gravitationally bound together.

It is about 6.5 million light-years across.

It contains 3 large spiral galaxies (Milky Way, Andromeda, Triangulum) and many dwarf galaxies.

The galaxies are gravitationally bound, meaning they orbit around a common center of mass.

It is roughly shaped like a football.

A massive, flat disk of stars, gas, and dust, with a diameter of 100,000 light-years.

The distance from our Sun to the center of the Milky Way.

The time our Sun takes to complete one orbit around the center of the Milky Way.

The estimated number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy.