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Why is the Solar System Flat?

minutephysics · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Cosmology & astrophysicsFundamental physics

What it is

A minutephysics explainer on why the planets orbit in a flat plane. It shows how conserved angular momentum flattens a collapsing cloud of matter into a disk.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN commenters link it as a quick, intuitive explanation of angular momentum and why spinning clumps of matter flatten.

  • 3 people recommended it
  • 3 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2014, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “This minute physics video (about the shape of the solar system) explains it probably better than I can put into words myself”

    Explains angular momentum and why the solar system is flat.

    TheCoreh, 2014-02 · Strong recommendation · in “The fastest pulsar spins at 716Hz; its equator spins at 24% the speed of light”

  2. “I like this video from minutephysics to get an intuitive sense for it”

    Intuitive sense of why clumping matter spins.

    igemnace, 2023-06 · Recommendation · in “Strong Solar Flare Erupts from Sun on Jun 20, 2023”

  3. “Minute Physics have a nice video on this”

    Explains conserved angular momentum flattening the solar system.

    orra, 2025-03 · Recommendation · in “Euclid finds complete Einstein Ring in NGC galaxy”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: angular momentum, solar system, physics, accretion disk, minutephysics

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