SEA: Space Exploration & Astronomy

Collisions of the Early Solar System

June 21, 2026·34 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

How did Earth get its moon? Why is Mercury so close to the sun? Why does Uranus orbit on its side? The answers to all of these questions are the many collisions that ravaged the early Solar System. Each of our neighbouring worlds bears scars which echo their violent past, from the many craters of the moon's battered surface, to the sideways rings of the planet Uranus. And in this video, we will examine a number of the most significant collisions, which each played a pivotal role in building up the Solar System as we know it today. SOUNDTRACK: - The Ghost of Aberbeeg | CO.AG Music - Edge of Silence, Ambient Sounds 06 | CO.AG Music - Balefire | Scott Buckley Creative Commons Music - Short Song 011023 | Chris Zabriskie Creative Commons Music - Short Song 020823 | Chris Zabriskie Creative Commons Music- Speak to Me | CO.AG MusicCO.AG Music: https://www.youtube.com/@co.agmusic1823Scott Buckley Music: https://www.scottbuckley.com.auChris Zabriskie Music: https://chriszabriskie.bandcamp.comCHAPTERS:00:00: Introduction 01:37: The Terrestrial Planets03:33: Collision that Formed the Moon 06:07: Giant Impact Hypothesis09:42: What Happened to Mercury? 13:37: Late Heavy Bombardment16:45: What Rammed into Uranus?20:32: The Dwarf Planet 23:43: Pluto & Charon's Moons27:25: Sputnik Planitia32:58: Closing

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