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The Sun contains 99.85% of all the matter in the solar system.
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It is made mostly of hydrogen (95%).
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The Sun provides the Earth with free energy--800 watts per square meter
at the equator.
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It consumes 4 1/2 tons of itself each second, an amount equal to the
Rocky Mountains.
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The Sun could not fit between the Earth and the Moon.
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Primary stars are those that were made first after the Big Bang. Our
sun isn't a primary star. That is why our solar system has heavy elements
in it.
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Our sun is moving 700,000 miles per hour through space.
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Its life started 4.5 billion years ago.
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As it ages, it gradually expands and heats. It will be 10% brighter
in 1.1 billion years.
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In the core of the sun pairs of hydrogen atoms combine to form helium
atoms in a process known as "Nuclear Fusion."
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Its surface is called the photosphere, most of the light we see comes
from this region.
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The Chromosphere is the layer above the photosphere.
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The corona is the outer layer of the atmosphere with temperatures reaching
3-5 million degrees. At times it reaches all the way to the surface of
Mercury.
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The corona is only visible during eclipses.
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The sun's magnetic field, called the heliosphere, extends way beyond
Pluto, and forms the boundary of our solar system.
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In about 6.5 billion years it will begin to go into the Red Giant
Stage when its helium core will burn. In another 1.3 billion years it will
expand to 170 times its current diameter and engulf Mercury. It will then
shrink somewhat and remain stable for about 120 million years, and then
begin to expand again. Then it will heat the Earth to about 2,400 degrees,
reducing it to red hot molten rock.
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The Sun emits heat and light, but also charged particles (electrons
and protons) called "The Solar Wind" which causes the beautiful Aurora
Borealis and creates the tails on comets.
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It takes more than a million years for energy from the Sun's core to
reach the surface, but from there it takes just 8 minutes for it to get
to Earth.
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Although the Sun appears yellow when seen from Earth, it is actually
white. We see the sunlight after it has been filtered through the Earth's
atmosphere. Air scatters the blue component, making the sky appear blue
and the sunlight yellow.
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