Month: July 2025

RADIATIVE ZONE – The layer of the Sun where energy is transported outward through radiation, from the core to the outer layers.

CORE – The innermost region of the Sun where nuclear fusion occurs, producing the Sun’s energy.

PLANETESIMAL DISKS – A collection of small objects that eventually merged to form the planets in the early solar system.

SOLAR WIND – The flow of charged particles (mainly protons and electrons) emitted by the Sun, which interacts with the planets and solar system formation processes.

SOLAR SYSTEM BARYCENTER – The center of mass of the solar system, which is affected by the masses of the Sun and the planets.

RADIAL VELOCITY METHOD – A method of detecting exoplanets by observing the slight motion of a star due to gravitational interaction with a planet.

FROST LINE – The distance from the Sun beyond which temperatures were low enough for volatile compounds like water, ammonia, and methane to freeze into solid ice.

GAS GIANTS – Large planets such as Jupiter and Saturn that formed beyond the “frost line” and have thick atmospheres of hydrogen and helium.

CHEMICAL DIFFERENTIATION – The process where heavier elements settle toward the center of a forming planet while lighter materials remain on the outer layers.