In alt.astronomy Rick C. Hodgin wrote:
....
It's a theory. It addresses a tremendous number of outstanding
questions about why our solar system is the way it is, why the moons are
the way they are, why there's such a stark contrast in design from the
inner "rocky" planets, and the outer "gas giants."
....

The main thing about scientific theories is they predict things.
Taking a few observations someone comes up with some rules
that predict something they didnt see in engineering up the rules.
If they're lucky they go out and make new observations and
their predictions are verified.

On theory is better than another if it makes more successful predictions --
not just codifying observations which were known to start with.

--
KenCaldeira @KenCaldeira 21 May 2020 23:28Z
Replying to @EDC_Farmer
The essence of science is prediction. Science progresses by rejecting
models that make bad predictions.
https://t.co/ASx86Ohgp1en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Popp...

Making successful predictions is the gold standard of science. If a
theory successfully predicts phenomena that are later observed, one
can be confident that the theory captures something essential about
the real world system.
-- Andrew Dessler, testimony to US Senate, 21 Jan 2014