What is the age of the solar system estimated to be?

The solar system is estimated to be approximately 4.6 billion years old based on several lines of evidence, including the ages of the oldest meteorites and lunar samples, as well as the study of the oldest rocks on Earth. Radiometric dating techniques have determined that these meteorites, which are remnants from the early solar system, formed around that time.

This estimated age reflects the time when the solar nebula, the cloud of gas and dust that gave rise to the solar system, began to collapse under its own gravity, leading to the formation of the Sun and the surrounding planets. The consistency of this age with model calculations of solar system formation mechanisms supports the conclusion that 4.6 billion years is the correct estimate. Other choices significantly deviate from this estimate, as they do not align with the current understanding of solar system formation and empirical data collected through various scientific methods.