How are many of the satellites of the jovian planets thought to have formed?
A)They are small planets in their own right but were captured by the jovian planets early in the solar system's history.
B)They are fragments of one large satellite orbiting around each of the planets.
C)They are from a disk of material around the planet, similar to the way the planets formed around the Sun.
D)They are from material thrown off the planet when one or more large planetesimals or small planets collided with it.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Many of the satellites of the jovian planets are thought to have formed from a disk of material around the planet, similar to the way the planets formed around the Sun. This is supported by observations of the regularity and alignment of some of these satellites' orbits around their respective planets.

How Are Many of the Satellites of the Jovian Planets