We all live on a planet, and planets represent the best places to look for life elsewhere in the universe. This makes planets uniquely interesting objects, both for astronomers, and for everyone who is interested in our origins and our place in the cosmos. The Sun’s planets are a diverse bunch, with a wide variety of orbits, sizes, compositions, atmospheres, and climates. Newly discovered planets orbiting other stars are even more varied, and many of these planetary systems are very different than our own. How did this diversity arise? In this lecture, we will explore how planets form and why they look the way they do. We will see how scientists have pieced together the story so far, and what puzzles remain to be solved in the years to come.

Dr. John E. Chambers, Carnegie Department of Terrestrial Magnetism