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Why Do the Planets in Our Solar System Rotate in a Specific Direction?

-- | November 6, 2016

Question: Then why do the planets rotate the direction they do and not the opposite? And does the other galaxies nearby the milky way rotates in the same direction? If yes, why? Thanks! — Mario

Answer: The orbital direction of the planets was set when the solar system was formed. The residual angular momentum from the rotating disk of gas and dust from which our Sun and planets formed resulted in the orbital directions for the planets that we see today. Galaxies outside of our own rotate in a variety of directions, all resulting from the individual formation process for each.

Jeff Mangum

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