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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"

Titan Beyond the Rings

Titan Beyond the Rings

05/05/2009

Sharpless 308

Sharpless 308

23/04/2009

Venus Near Inferior Conjunction

Venus Near Inferior Conjunction

09/04/2009

Orcus of the Outer Solar System

Orcus of the Outer Solar System

25/03/2009

Sungrazer

Sungrazer

22/03/2009

Fermi's Gamma-Ray Sky

Fermi's Gamma-Ray Sky

21/03/2009

Sunset at the Portara

Sunset at the Portara

20/03/2009

A Prominent Solar Prominence from SOHO

A Prominent Solar Prominence from SOHO

15/03/2009

Saturn in View

Saturn in View

04/03/2009

Lulin and Saturn near Opposition

Lulin and Saturn near Opposition

27/02/2009

Two Tails of Comet Lulin

Two Tails of Comet Lulin

25/02/2009

An Etruscan Vase Moon Rising

An Etruscan Vase Moon Rising

23/02/2009

The Swift View of Comet Lulin

The Swift View of Comet Lulin

21/02/2009

The Great Carina Nebula

The Great Carina Nebula

16/02/2009

Orion's Belt

Orion's Belt

10/02/2009

Comet Lulin Tails

Comet Lulin Tails

07/02/2009

Comet Lulin Approaches

Comet Lulin Approaches

02/02/2009

Eclipse Shirt 2009

Eclipse Shirt 2009

29/01/2009

A Partial Eclipse Over Manila Bay

A Partial Eclipse Over Manila Bay

28/01/2009

Annular Eclipse: The Ring of Fire

Annular Eclipse: The Ring of Fire

25/01/2009

The Bubble Nebula

The Bubble Nebula

24/01/2009

Suspension Bridge Solargraph

Suspension Bridge Solargraph

15/01/2009

Martian Sunset

Martian Sunset

10/01/2009

Double Cluster in Perseus

Double Cluster in Perseus

03/01/2009

Alpine Conjunction

Alpine Conjunction

02/01/2009

Thackeray's Globules

Thackeray's Globules

28/12/2008

Crab Pulsar Wind Nebula

Crab Pulsar Wind Nebula

27/12/2008

Collinder 399: The Coat Hanger

Collinder 399: The Coat Hanger

23/12/2008

Analemma Over the Porch of Maidens

Analemma Over the Porch of Maidens

21/12/2008

Solstice at Newgrange

Solstice at Newgrange

20/12/2008