Our Solar System: Have you realized this?

I agree that this is something that would be good philosophically, but considering the scale, if there was something that all the galaxies were a part of, it would make no difference to humans who are but specks in the grand scheme of things, if this were true. I think its one of those philosophical points that are irrelevant to our everyday lives.

This is a comparison I have never thought of and I find it quite interesting. but if the planets are the electrons what are the stars?

Hey, very interesting thing to think about. I often have thoughts like this. We are a lot smaller than we think.

Here is a brief outline of the current theory of the events in the early history of the solar system: A cloud of interstellar gas and/or dust (the "solar nebula") is disturbed and collapses under its own gravity. The disturbance could be, for example, the shock wave from a nearby supernova. As the cloud collapses, it heats up and compresses in the center. It heats enough for the dust to vaporize. The initial collapse is supposed to take less than 100,000 years. The center compresses enough to become a protostar and the rest of the gas orbits/flows around it. Most of that gas flows inward and adds to the mass of the forming star, but the gas is rotating. The centrifugal force from that prevents some of the gas from reaching the forming star. Instead, it forms an "accretion disk" around the star. The disk radiates away its energy and cools off. First brake point. Depending on the details, the gas orbiting star/protostar may be unstable and start to compress under its own gravity. That produces a double star. If it doesn't ... The gas cools off enough for the metal, rock and (far enough from the forming star) ice to condense out into tiny particles. (i.e. some of the gas turns back into dust). The metals condense almost as soon as the accretion disk forms (4.55-4.56 billion years ago according to isotope measurements of certain meteors); the rock condenses a bit later (between 4.4 and 4.55 billion years ago). The dust particles collide with each other and form into larger particles. This goes on until the particles get to the size of boulders or small asteroids. Run away growth. Once the larger of these particles get big enough to have a nontrivial gravity, their growth accelerates. Their gravity (even if it's very small) gives them an edge over smaller particles; it pulls in more, smaller particles, and very quickly, the large objects have accumulated all of the solid matter close to their own orbit. How big they get depends on their distance from the star and the density and composition of the protoplanetary nebula. In the solar system, the theories say that this is large asteroid to lunar size in the inner solar system, and one to fifteen times the Earth's size in the outer solar system. There would have been a big jump in size somewhere between the current orbits of Mars and Jupiter: the energy from the Sun would have kept ice a vapor at closer distances, so the solid, accretable matter would become much more common beyond a critical distance from the Sun. The accretion of these "planetesimals" is believed to take a few hundred thousand to about twenty million years, with the outermost taking the longest to form. Two things and the second brake point. How big were those protoplanets and how quickly did they form? At about this time, about 1 million years after the nebula cooled, the star would generate a very strong solar wind, which would sweep away all of the gas left in the protoplanetary nebula. If a protoplanet was large enough, soon enough, its gravity would pull in the nebular gas, and it would become a gas giant. If not, it would remain a rocky or icy body. At this point, the solar system is composed only of solid, protoplanetary bodies and gas giants. The "planetesimals" would slowly collide with each other and become more massive. Eventually, after ten to a hundred million years, you end up with ten or so planets, in stable orbits, and that's a solar system. These planets and their surfaces may be heavily modified by the last, big collision they experience (e.g. the largely metal composition of Mercury or the Moon).

i appreciate the way u tried to c the universe... and even i use to think stuff like that.... actually v humans r so minute things comparing all those stuffs out there which r unexplained... and ya it can also b as u hav suggested... v can b a microscopic part of somethinghuge which can never revealed...

Why not! interesting, but which is our role in this? for us human.

donr worry u have a goodfuture to become a astronot may be whe should see u in space soon or later

"So would it be naive to think that our galaxy could possibly be one small atom that makes up something much larger?" I've been trying to get this idea through people's heads for ever now! I totally agree. One day after an operation I had finally fallen asleep and I had this wild dream where someone was guiding me through the universe. We went to the outermost point and then I saw this bright white light and passed through it and all I saw was a field of grass. I woke up and understood infinity beyond any grasp I had before that moment. I immediately told my husband and he said I needed to read The Gunslinger by Stephen King. In one of the last chapters, this exact thing happens to the lead character. He is guided through the universe and he too came to a light and at the end he realized he was just in a molecule of a blade of grass! It was so trippy! So after that I began studying quantum physics and quantum mechanics - as if putting my new understanding to use. I also saw the movie "What The Bleep Do We Know" which hits on the infinite and the universe. So now I don't look at anything as being solid matter anymore. We are just too big to slice through anything with our hand. This new revelation is what sealed the deal on me being Atheist. I was already agnostic but this was the last puzzle piece for me. So I don't think it is naive at all - I think it is open-minded and forward thinking. Oh, and I also agree because I find myself wondering what contains the universe. Scientists have no way of knowing and religion makes up stories for what they can't understand. I have a hard time believing that the universe is not being held up by another force, or is contained in something even bigger - like a leaf on a tree lol. Great discussion!

NO I HAVNT REALISED WERE IN A SOLAR SYSTEM.......AMAZING!

Excellent subject!! I think there might be a hint of reality there! I believe one day we will know for sure, but for now... the imagination is a wonderful thing. I have never really thought about the comparison before. I'll spend all week pondering this one. Thanx for the exercise. ;l LOL

we are star dust beacuse we are made from the same mater like the whole universe

I've considered this before, and I think it's quite feasible that the universe is an atom on a larger scale than the atoms we see - atoms have protons neutrons and electrons as the matter, and move about in a huge vacuum too - proportionally (if I remember correctly!). I also think it's highly feasible that atoms could be tiny universes too, and that space-time would be scaled accordingly. Just a theory, but an interesting one. And it certainly makes the idea of splitting the atom and playing with molecules even more horrific, doesn't it?

Hi Alicia, Just belive me, I AM NOT LYING. When I was in my school, I was also having this same thought. I always tried to find some relation between the Configuration of an Atom and our Solar System!!! My Goodness, I cant count those sleepless nights I passed thinkng on thios thought. Finaly I arrived on the same conclusion that "Our galaxy could possibly be one small atom that makes up something much larger" Like urs!!!. Actuly this theory is called a "Circle in U" I dont know how much correct it is, but certainly it compiles us to think of it. According to it"OUR EARTH IS JUST A SMALL ELECTRON REVOLVING AROUND A NUCLEUS, WHICH IS SUN. THIS ATOM IS IN THE MOLECULE OF OUR GALAXY AND THIS MOLECULE IS KNOWN AS MILKY WAY!!!" Now question arises, were the hell is this molecule???? Well according to this theory this molecule is in earth only!!! In short...Our universe is just a molecule, this molecule is in earth and in this molecule, again lies our universe. Therefore this theory is called "CIRCLE IN U" theory.

Well,if you just consider our galaxy,then you are right.Many galaxies come together to form the universe.

I agree about the similarities. The In an atom, the nucleus is made up of protons & neutrons, being orbited by electrons. A star system has a star as its 'nucleus' & the planets & whatever asteroid belts & such orbiting the star as electrons. By just looks alone, both models are similar. In an atom, the nucleus is made up of protons (positive) & neutrons (neutral), but the electrons are negatively charged. Electrons moving from atom to atom is the result of conduction of electricity. In a star system, the star is a fireball of nuclear energy. I understand that our sun is a nuclear reaction of hydrogen being turned into helium that releases radiation. The planets vary. Some are just large rocks, balls of ice maybe ... & even planets are nuclei to other bodies we call moons or satellites. I wonder if those electrons have unseen particles orbiting them.

i have seen atoms and i have seen the universe and the universe is very big

Thats a really interesting idea, and could be fun do debate. The only problem is there will never be a winner of the debate! By the way it also works in the way humans settled. I have forgotten the name of the theory (lol) - it is part of my archaeology course, it involves there being large cities, e,g London, and Birmingham, and then around them, are 6 smaller cities, e.g. cambridge, and around them are 6 smaller villages, etc, you get the idea? It just helps illustrate everything spreads in circles if there is an equal force in each direction. - e.g. if there was a river, or mountain belt it knocks this of course...Ok this is starting to get more irrelevant lol!! anyway I hope that vaguely helped!

Hmm.I don't think so.

Could be, but have we really seen what our solar system looks like?

I am a JUNKIE for this kind of topic! Yes you are right they are an exact reflection of one another. And everything else is relative as well. Did you know that the deeper that they have "looked" into an atom that it is endless and 90% or so completely empty? That's right, made of nothing! Much like the popcorn we all love to eat. One thing is another and everything is one. We are not only "connected" to the universe..we ARE the universe!...this one is tough to absorb, did you know that at every given moment that every molelule in our existence is flipping in and out of existence over and over again? Where do we go? Anyone interested in this kind of stuff, NEEDS to see What the Bleep Do We Know? and another movie called The Secret! We are all magicians and we are all the same, one, thing! Diss-Position