Why Are All Of The Planets Round? - Cool Cosmos - Caltech

Home » Why Are All Planets Round » Why Are All Of The Planets Round? - Cool Cosmos - Caltech

Maybe your like

IPAC
  • Change Theme
    • NGC 1097 (Spitzer)
    • Helix (Spitzer)
    • Flame Nebula (WISE)
    • Galactic Center (2MASS)
    • Cool Andromeda (Herschel)

Solar System

  • Why do the planets have different colors?
  • Which planet has the strongest winds?
  • What is the largest moon in the Solar System?
  • Which planet spins the fastest?
  • Where is the highest mountain in our Solar System?
  • Are moons always smaller than planets?
  • How do the planets stay in orbit around the sun?
  • How did the planets get their names?
  • How many planets in the Solar System have rings?
  • Why are all of the planets round?
  • What is the order of the planets in the Solar System?
  • What is the solar system?
Why are all of the planets round?

All of the planets are round because of gravity. When our Solar System was forming, gravity gathered billions of pieces of gas and dust into clumps which grew larger and larger to become the planets. The force of the collision of these pieces caused the newly forming planets to become hot and molten. The force of gravity, pulled this molten material inwards towards the planet's center into the shape of a sphere. Later, when the planets cooled, they stayed spherical. Planets are not perfectly spherical because they also spin. The spinning force acts against gravity and causes many planets to bulge out more around their equators.

Exexo_banner_image

Tag » Why Are All Planets Round