Some of the astronomical and cosmochemical constraints on the formation of the Sun’s terrestrial planets are reviewed, and the planetesimal theory of planetary accretion is described. Several difficulties remain for this model, especially in its earliest stage, but substantial progress has been made in recent years. While we have a fair understanding of terrestrial‐planet formation in the Solar System, there are currently few available constraints on the abundance and characteristics of extrasolar Earth‐like planets.
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© 2004 American Institute of Physics.
2004
American Institute of Physics
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