What specific intermediary structures observed around other young stars strongly support the nebular hypothesis?

Answer

Protoplanetary disks.

A key strength of the nebular hypothesis is its predictive power regarding phenomena beyond our own Solar System. The theory predicted that if the formation mechanism was governed by universal laws of gravity and fluid dynamics applied to a collapsing, rotating cloud, other young stars should exhibit similar formation structures. Astronomical observations have confirmed this prediction through the repeated discovery of protoplanetary disks. These are flat structures composed of gas and dust orbiting young stars throughout the galaxy. These observed disks visually match the predicted intermediary stage where the nebula has collapsed and flattened, serving as the site for planet formation, thereby lending significant authority to the model derived from studying our local stellar neighborhood.

What specific intermediary structures observed around other young stars strongly support the nebular hypothesis?

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