Models predict how planets should form out of circumstellar dust and gas, from
timescales of a few orbital periods up to tens of millions of years. I will
discuss critically how well observations support these scenarios. In
particular, some problems exist with disk populations that may be of too low
mass or too short-lived to produce planets. From empirical models of the disk
mass reservoir, we are beginning to be able to predict how many of different
kinds of planetary outcome will be seen, and I will discuss how common
terrestrial planets could be around Sun-like stars, and where the nearest
habitable systems may lie.
(Host: Andrej Kuutmann)
