Why does nearly every object in the solar sysyem both spin(rotate,turn) to the east as well as orbit (move,revolve) around the sun to the east( counterclockwise)? what other characteristics of the soalr system is explained by this?
by 
sean
ANSWERS: 2
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In the 1960's, radar pulses were bounced off of Venus while at its closest distance to the Earth, and it was discovered that it rotated on its axis in a BACKWARDS or retrograde sense from the other planets. If you were to look down at the plane of the solar system from its 'north pole' you would see the planets orbiting the Sun counter clockwise, and rotating on their axis counterclockwise. Except for Venus. Venus would be rotating clockwise as it orbited the Sun counterclockwise. Venus is not alone. The axis of Uranus is INCLINED so far towards the plane of the solar system that it almost rolls on its side as it orbits the Sun. Most attribute nearly uniform spin to 'accretion disk' theory. See: http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.aa.33.090195.002445
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The basic principle is conservation of angular momentum. So once the disk of gas begins accretion into a solar system, it spins one way or the other & all objects tend to revolve & rotate with the angular momentum vector pointing in the same direction. Tilted or retrograde rotation is the exception rather than the rule. If you look at all objects in the universe, their rotational axes are distributed randomly.
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