Hello,
I just have one question that my small mind
has been pondering. Why are planets round??
Is this something that happens in the initial
planet making or do the planets take this
great round shape over the course of millions
of years?
Maytag Man.

Well the answer is quite simple really...

The Universe is just a big game of billiards.



------------------
(Midnight@golden.net)
(Ouch.my.head)
(http://home.golden.net/~midnight/)

You'll notice that planets start out in a mostly liquid state. And in space, both gravity and surface tension would make planets into balls.

Also, even if a planetoid somehow formed as a cold irregular body, after a few billion years erosion would smooth out the irregularities; the bits and pieces would fall down and distribute themselves as evenly as possible about the surface -- thus minimizing their potential energy. So, one way or another you'll end up with spheres.

accually they aren't really spheres, they are ovalish with jagged surfaces, nothing is space is a perfect sphere, except for maybe a singularity.

I AM SURE THAT THEY ACT LIKE A BUBBLE AND TRY TO MAKE THEMSELVES INTO THE SMALLEST AREA POSSIBLE.