Solar systems form from giant molecular clouds of gas and dust, known as stellar nurseries. When a portion of these clouds collapses under gravity, it forms a protostar at the center, and surrounding matter begins to coalesce into planets, moons, and other bodies. This process is called accretion, and it leads to the formation of a star and its orbiting planets over millions of years.
The study of solar system formation helps scientists understand how planets and stars form, evolve, and interact. Our own solar system formed about 4.6 billion years ago, and the discovery of exoplanets around other stars has provided valuable insights into this process across the galaxy.