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"

Supernova Survivor

Supernova Survivor

10/09/2005

Crepuscular Rays Over Utah

Crepuscular Rays Over Utah

31/08/2005

Barred Spiral Milky Way

Barred Spiral Milky Way

25/08/2005

Sylvia, Romulus and Remus

Sylvia, Romulus and Remus

18/08/2005

Heating Coronal Loops

Heating Coronal Loops

14/08/2005

A Meteor Shower Fireball Movie

A Meteor Shower Fireball Movie

12/08/2005

The Belt of Venus over Elwood Beach

The Belt of Venus over Elwood Beach

09/08/2005

Mars to Appear Normal This August

Mars to Appear Normal This August

08/08/2005

Dueling Auroras

Dueling Auroras

07/08/2005

HD 188753: Triple Sunset

HD 188753: Triple Sunset

05/08/2005

2003 UB313: A Tenth Planet?

2003 UB313: A Tenth Planet?

01/08/2005

ISS and Discovery Transit the Sun

ISS and Discovery Transit the Sun

29/07/2005

Hyperion: Sponge Moon of Saturn

Hyperion: Sponge Moon of Saturn

26/07/2005

X-Ray Stars of 47 Tuc

X-Ray Stars of 47 Tuc

21/07/2005

The Center of Centaurus A

The Center of Centaurus A

17/07/2005

Star Trails Over Vienna

Star Trails Over Vienna

14/07/2005

Analemma of the Moon

Analemma of the Moon

13/07/2005

Sunrise Over Kilimanjaro

Sunrise Over Kilimanjaro

11/07/2005

Three Planets by the Sea

Three Planets by the Sea

02/07/2005

Venus: Just Passing By

Venus: Just Passing By

25/06/2005

Moonrise, Cape Sounion, Greece

Moonrise, Cape Sounion, Greece

23/06/2005

Saturn's Rings from the Other Side

Saturn's Rings from the Other Side

22/06/2005

Sunset Over Gusev Crater

Sunset Over Gusev Crater

20/06/2005

Noctilucent Clouds

Noctilucent Clouds

19/06/2005

Tornado and Rainbow Over Kansas

Tornado and Rainbow Over Kansas

13/06/2005

Earth at Twilight

Earth at Twilight

11/06/2005

Venus Returns to the Evening Sky

Venus Returns to the Evening Sky

09/06/2005

Aurora Iowa

Aurora Iowa

20/05/2005

When the Moon Was Young

When the Moon Was Young

13/05/2005

Stars, Galaxies, and Comet Tempel 1

Stars, Galaxies, and Comet Tempel 1

12/05/2005