Facts About the Sun

Front

What is the Sun?

Back

The Sun is a 4.5 billion-year-old yellow dwarf star at the center of our solar system.

Front

How far is the Sun from Earth?

Back

The Sun is about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from Earth.

Front

What is the Sun made of?

Back

The Sun is made of hydrogen and helium.

Front

What is the temperature in the Sun's core?

Back

The temperature in the Sun's core is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius).

Front

What is the photosphere?

Back

The photosphere is the part of the Sun that we see from Earth; it is the Sun's surface.

Front

How long does it take for the Sun to rotate at its equator?

Back

The Sun completes one rotation at its equator in about 25 Earth days.

Front

What are sunspots?

Back

Sunspots are cooler areas on the Sun's surface that look like dark spots.

Front

What is a solar flare?

Back

A solar flare is a powerful explosion on the Sun that releases energy and particles.

Front

What is a coronal mass ejection (CME)?

Back

A CME is a huge cloud of solar particles blasted into space by the Sun.

Front

What is the corona?

Back

The corona is the Sun's outer atmosphere, which is much hotter than the surface.