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"

Mercury: A Cratered Inferno

Mercury: A Cratered Inferno

12/09/2004

Announcing Comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR)

Announcing Comet C/2003 K4 (LINEAR)

30/08/2004

Lunation

Lunation

29/08/2004

The Sedna Scenario

The Sedna Scenario

27/08/2004

Cassiopeia A in a Million

Cassiopeia A in a Million

26/08/2004

The Giant and the Glory

The Giant and the Glory

06/08/2004

Solar Arcs and Halos

Solar Arcs and Halos

04/08/2004

Shadow of a Martian Robot

Shadow of a Martian Robot

03/08/2004

Spicules: Jets on the Sun

Spicules: Jets on the Sun

02/08/2004

A Large Active Region Crosses the Sun

A Large Active Region Crosses the Sun

26/07/2004

A Solar Filament Lifts Off

A Solar Filament Lifts Off

25/07/2004

Saturn's Rings in Natural Color

Saturn's Rings in Natural Color

23/07/2004

A Shadow on the Rings of Saturn

A Shadow on the Rings of Saturn

21/07/2004

Space Station, Venus, Sun

Space Station, Venus, Sun

20/07/2004

Transit of Venus Stereogram

Transit of Venus Stereogram

17/07/2004

The Bubble

The Bubble

16/07/2004

Orion Nebula in Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Sulfur

Orion Nebula in Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Sulfur

13/07/2004

Neptune: Still Springtime After All These Years

Neptune: Still Springtime After All These Years

26/06/2004

A Picturesque Venus Transit

A Picturesque Venus Transit

23/06/2004

Analemma over Ancient Nemea

Analemma over Ancient Nemea

21/06/2004

Solstice Celebration

Solstice Celebration

20/06/2004

A Rare Annular Venusian Solar Eclipse

A Rare Annular Venusian Solar Eclipse

15/06/2004

Venus and the Chromosphere

Venus and the Chromosphere

11/06/2004

Venus at the Edge

Venus at the Edge

10/06/2004

Venus Transit at Sunrise

Venus Transit at Sunrise

09/06/2004

A Planet Transits the Sun

A Planet Transits the Sun

08/06/2004

Mammatus Clouds Over Mexico

Mammatus Clouds Over Mexico

07/06/2004

Mercury Spotting

Mercury Spotting

06/06/2004

Sedna at Noon

Sedna at Noon

04/06/2004

Cone Nebula Close-Up

Cone Nebula Close-Up

29/05/2004