How to make a planet (and why it shouldn’t work)

By Taylor Kutra on 10 July, 2023

The story we tell about how planets form is usually quite simple: planets are made of the debris left over from star formation. Little dust particles conglomerate into pebbles, which eventually coalesce into rocks, which get bigger and bigger until you end up with a planet. Thats it, right? For this AstroTours, we are going to explore the process of planet formation and talk about what happens when physics tells you one thing, but reality tells you the opposite.

About Taylor Kutra

Taylor is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the birthplace of planets, the proto-planetary disk and she is generally interested in how the protoplanetary disk can affect the planets that eventually form from it. Taylor did her Bachelors degree at Quest University Canada and, after her defence in a couple of weeks, will continue this work as a postdoctoral fellow at Lowell Observatory. Taylor also works on various outreach and community initiatives and is a strong advocate for creating inclusive spaces within astronomy. When she isn't doing astronomy, she loves to spend her time outside with her rescue dog, Shanty.