Back to Glossary

The Sun

The Sun is a yellow dwarf star (G2V), about 4.6 billion years old, and the dominant gravitational force in the Solar System. It has a diameter of roughly 1.4 million kilometers and contains around 99.8% of the Solar System’s mass. Nuclear fusion in its core converts hydrogen into helium, producing energy that warms the planets. Above the core lie the radiative and convective zones, followed by the visible photosphere (~5,500 °C), the chromosphere, and the much hotter corona (~2 million °C).

Source: science.nasa.gov

APODs including "The Sun"

Night Hides the World

Night Hides the World

16/10/2015

A Gegenschein Lunar Eclipse

A Gegenschein Lunar Eclipse

14/10/2015

A Blue Blood Moon

A Blue Blood Moon

03/10/2015

M31 versus M33

M31 versus M33

26/09/2015

Antarctic Analemma

Antarctic Analemma

23/09/2015

A Prominence on the Sun

A Prominence on the Sun

19/09/2015

A Spiral Aurora over Iceland

A Spiral Aurora over Iceland

15/09/2015

A Partial Solar Eclipse over Texas

A Partial Solar Eclipse over Texas

13/09/2015

ISS Double Transit

ISS Double Transit

12/09/2015

Distorted Green Flash Sunset over Italy

Distorted Green Flash Sunset over Italy

08/09/2015

The Flare and the Galaxy

The Flare and the Galaxy

02/09/2015

Collinder 399: The Coat Hanger

Collinder 399: The Coat Hanger

26/08/2015

M1: The Crab Nebula from Hubble

M1: The Crab Nebula from Hubble

16/08/2015

Perihelion Approaches

Perihelion Approaches

15/08/2015

A Proton Arc Over Lake Superior

A Proton Arc Over Lake Superior

03/08/2015

Rainbows and Rays over Bryce Canyon

Rainbows and Rays over Bryce Canyon

28/07/2015

Milky Way and Aurora over Antarctica

Milky Way and Aurora over Antarctica

27/07/2015

Comet PanSTARRS, Moon, and Venus

Comet PanSTARRS, Moon, and Venus

23/07/2015

Comet Tails and Star Trails

Comet Tails and Star Trails

21/07/2015

Comet PanSTARRS and a Crescent Moon

Comet PanSTARRS and a Crescent Moon

20/07/2015

New Horizons Launch to Pluto

New Horizons Launch to Pluto

12/07/2015

In the Company of Dione

In the Company of Dione

08/07/2015

Zeta Oph: Runaway Star

Zeta Oph: Runaway Star

05/07/2015

Aurora Australis

Aurora Australis

04/07/2015

Sunspot Group AR 2339 Crosses the Sun

Sunspot Group AR 2339 Crosses the Sun
Video

29/06/2015

All the Colors of the Sun

All the Colors of the Sun

28/06/2015

Stars of a Summer's Triangle

Stars of a Summer's Triangle

27/06/2015

Sharpless 308: Star Bubble

Sharpless 308: Star Bubble

23/06/2015

Rings and Seasons of Saturn

Rings and Seasons of Saturn

21/06/2015

A Colorful Lunar Corona

A Colorful Lunar Corona

15/06/2015