planetesimal hypothesis

n. The hypothesis that the planets and satellites of the solar system were formed by gravitational aggregation of planetesimals.

planetesimal hypothesis

(ˌplænɪˈtɛsɪməl) n (Astronomy) the discredited theory that the close passage of a star to the sun caused many small bodies (planetesimals) to be drawn from the sun, eventually coalescing to form the planets[C20: planetesimal, from planet + infinitesimal]

Thesaurus

Noun

planetesimal hypothesis - (cosmology) the theory that the solar system was formed by the gravitational accumulation of planetesimalsscientific theory - a theory that explains scientific observations; "scientific theories must be falsifiable"cosmogeny, cosmogony, cosmology - the branch of astrophysics that studies the origin and evolution and structure of the universe

planetesimal hypothesis