The Sun is something that we often take for granted. It is one of the most important objects in the entire solar system. Without it, life as we know it would not exist. So why is this big ball of heat so important and is there anything else interesting about it? This question will be answered if you read the article below:
The Sun seen from a telescope
30 Fun Facts about the Sun!
The Sun is the star that is in the center of our solar system
It is almost a perfect circle
The Sun is 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) away
The Sun is 99.8% of the Solar System’s mass
The Sun’s gravity is what holds the entire solar system together
It is classified as a yellow dwarf star
Like the Moon, the Sun’s gravity causes tides
The Sun is made out of plasma
The Corona is the atmosphere of the Sun
Over 1 million Earths could fit inside of the Sun
A little over 100 Earths can span the length of the Sun’s diameter
It is about 330,000 times more massive than the Earth
The core temperature of the Sun is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius)
The Corona is actually hotter than the Sun’s surface, with temperatures reaching 1.8 million degree Fahrenheit (1 million degrees Celsius)
Sunspots are small black spots that are on the Sun’s surface
Solar flares are short bursts of of energy and radiation that shoot out from the Sun’s surface
CMEs are huge releases of solar wind and magnetic energy
The Sun is made of hydrogen and helium
The Sun gets its energy from nuclear fusion
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two atoms combine to form a new one
In the Sun’s case, hydrogen atoms become helium atoms in the core
The sun rotates together on its axis, however, some parts rotate faster than others
It takes the Sun 25 days to make a full rotation
The Sun’s magnetic fields flip every 11 years
Sunspots form due to changes in the magnetic field
The Sun has a luminosity of 3.8×10^26 watts
It takes sunlight a little over 8 minutes to reach Earth
It emits all types of light on the electromagnetic spectrum
The energy from the Sun is why the Earth has different climates
The Sun orbits the center of the Milky Way every 230 million years
A Solar Eclipse – where the moon fully blocks the Sum
Frequently Asked Questions!
How hot is the Sun?
The Sun is the hottest object in our entire solar system. It’s what warms up our solar system and is how energy is distributed. Overall, the Sun can reach temperatures of 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius).
How big is the Sun?
The Sun is also the largest object in our solar system. In fact, it is so big that it makes up 99.8% of all the mass in the entire solar system. In addition, about 1.3 million Earths could fit inside the Sun, which has a diameter of 865,370 miles (1.4 million kilometers).
What color is the Sun?
The Sun appears yellow from Earth’s surface, however, it actually appears white when in outer space.
How many Earths can fit in the Sun?
The Sun is massive, about 1.3 million Earths could fit inside of it. A further 100+ Earths are needed to span the Sun’s diameter.
How far is the Sun from Earth?
The Sun is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) away from Earth. This is the perfect distance, as it isn’t too hot or cold on Earth.
How old is the Sun?
The Sun holds all of the solar system together and therefore is one of the oldest objects. The Sun is estimated to be about 4.6 billion years old. This means that it has gone about half of its life already.
What is the Sun made of?
The Sun is a massive sphere of hot gas with extreme pressure. The Sun is made mostly of hydrogen (70%) and helium (28%).
When will the Sun explode?
The Sun will not explode for a very long time. Since it’s estimated to be halfway through its lifespan, the Sun has another 4-5 billion years left.
The Sun seen from Earth’s surface
That’s all, space folks! Thanks for joining us on our journey to the Sun. We hope you learn one or two things about our Sun. Further findings are being reported so make sure to check back in the future to find more facts!
Want to learn more about the planets in our solar system? Check out these other articles:
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