Solar system is a system that consists of the sun and the objects that goes around it. These objects circumambulate the sun either directly or indirectly. The objects include the eight planets that moves around the sun directly. There are also smaller objects that circumambulate the sun, including the five dwarf planets and small solar system bodies. The geocentric and heliocentric views’ similarities and differences are broken down to analyze solar system and nebular theory is applied while discussing the formation and features of Jovian and Terrestrial planets in comparison to the Earth.
Geocentric posits that the Earth is centrally placed and that the entire universe revolves around it, while the heliocentric model puts the sun at the middle of the solar system. Copernicus was the first scholar to develop a heliocentric view, while Ptolemy developed a geocentric view. The explanatory power of application of heliocentric idea limited to astronomical issues makes it look better as compared to the geocentric option (Lena Soler, Howard Sankey & Paul Hoyningen-Huene, 2008). Therefore, in Geography, the astronomical subjects are studied; hence, the heliocentric idea is embraced and used to explain the solar system.
The condensing of rotating disks of gas and dust around young stars leads to the formation of planets according to the solar nebular theory. The variation in density among solar system objects is an essential clue to understanding the process through which the nebular gas converts into solid matter (Michael A Seeds & Dana E Backman, 2010). There are two kinds of planets, four inner Terrestrial and four outer Jovian planets, differentiated by their locations and masses. Properties such as absence or presence of rings and numbers of moons distinguish these two groups of planets. Consequently, craters are common to both since almost every solid surface is covered with craters in the solar system.
The features of Terrestrial and Jovian planets are different from each other in that; each group shares common traits. For instance, Jovian planets are large and with high masses, while Terrestrials are small in size and with low masses. Terrestrials have very high densities and are mostly solid since they are made primarily of rocks and metal. Jovian planets have very low densities and are gaseous since they are composed of ices and gases. Also, Jovian planets are further away from the sun while the Terrestrials are close to the sun. Hence Jovian planets revolve slowly around the sun while Terrestrials revolves rapidly. Lastly, Terrestrial has relatively few moons, while Jovian planets have many moons.
In conclusion, therefore, the geocentric and heliocentric views’ similarities and differences are broken down to analyze solar system and nebular theory is applied while discussing the formation and features of Jovian and Terrestrial planets in comparison to the Earth. Geocentric posits that the Earth is at the center while heliocentric put the sun in the middle of the solar system. Geography embraces the heliocentric model since the idea supports astronomical knowledge or discovery. In the formation of planets, the cosmic nebular theory has it that planets forms by the condensation of the rotating disks of gases and dust around young stars.
References
Lena Soler, Howard Sankey & Paul Hoyningen-Huene. (2008). Rethinking Scientific Change and Theory Comparison: Stabilities, Ruptures, Incommensurabilities? AA Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer.
Michael A Seeds & Dana E Backman. (2010). Astronomy: The Solar System and Beyond . Belmont, CA USA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.
write