Science Forums 2

[alxian]

are there any estimates as to where the materials in our own solar system come from?

i mean its certain that the amount of heavy metals in our star system alone in immense, and even though our star may be longer lived than some could all the matter have been generated in our region of the orion arm or is it possible that some of the metals in our star systems/own bodies predate even our galaxy?

the question bein if our galaxy, a very old structure was formed from very basic materials (accounting for its entire current mass) is it possible for all the metals and other complex materials we take for granted were created in our galaxy from thousands of stellar life cycles, or could some of the material be primordial (for those who believe that the big bang started it all rather than the universe is an infinite system having existed forever with matter cycling through many stages in many system perhaps even larger than our "known" space (that which is visible to us).

also that our current galaxy could have formed out of several smaller galaxies merging together and an equilibrium achieved of a very very long time. collissions would more than have numerous star systems merging or even having the stars collide? that be cool to witness.