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"

Moon AND Sun

Moon AND Sun

22/11/2003

Sunset Moonlight

Sunset Moonlight

21/11/2003

Voyager at 90 AU

Voyager at 90 AU

20/11/2003

Light Can Twist as Well as Spin

Light Can Twist as Well as Spin

19/11/2003

Flare Well AR 10486

Flare Well AR 10486

06/11/2003

Aurora Over Edmonton

Aurora Over Edmonton

04/11/2003

Aurora in Colorado Skies

Aurora in Colorado Skies

30/10/2003

A Powerful Solar Flare

A Powerful Solar Flare

29/10/2003

Large Sunspot Groups 10484 and 10486

Large Sunspot Groups 10484 and 10486

27/10/2003

Islands in the Photosphere

Islands in the Photosphere

25/10/2003

Cygnus Nebulosities

Cygnus Nebulosities

23/10/2003

The Belt of Venus over the Valley of the Moon

The Belt of Venus over the Valley of the Moon

21/10/2003

Iridescent Clouds Over Aiguille de la Tsa

Iridescent Clouds Over Aiguille de la Tsa

14/10/2003

X-Ray Moon

X-Ray Moon

04/10/2003

Cold Comet Halley

Cold Comet Halley

03/10/2003

Apollo 11: Catching Some Sun

Apollo 11: Catching Some Sun

20/09/2003

The Galactic Center in Infrared

The Galactic Center in Infrared

07/09/2003

Composite Crab

Composite Crab

04/09/2003

Contemplating Mars

Contemplating Mars

02/09/2003

Shadow Rise

Shadow Rise

22/08/2003

Natural Saturn On The Cassini Cruise

Natural Saturn On The Cassini Cruise

17/08/2003

Thackeray's Globules

Thackeray's Globules

16/08/2003

Sedimentary Mars

Sedimentary Mars

15/08/2003

Mars Rising Behind Poodle Rock

Mars Rising Behind Poodle Rock

13/08/2003

Lunation

Lunation

10/08/2003

A Perseid Aurora

A Perseid Aurora

09/08/2003

Orange Sun Simmering

Orange Sun Simmering

29/07/2003

Mars Rising Through Arch Rock

Mars Rising Through Arch Rock

15/07/2003

At the Edge of the Sun

At the Edge of the Sun

07/07/2003

Centaurus A: X-Rays from an Active Galaxy

Centaurus A: X-Rays from an Active Galaxy

05/07/2003