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The Inner Planets
The Outer Planets
The
Sun
The Moon
Meteoroids The Asteroid Belt
Comets
The Constellations
The
Stars Solar System Games
Return to Homepage
Sun Q&A
Q: What is the Sun?
The Sun is a star which has enough energy left to burn for 4 billion more years. It is also the closet star to Earth. The Sun is the largest object in the solar system. The Sun is an ordinary star like any other star. The Sun coverts helium and hydrogen to its core. It contains more mass than 99.8% of the solar system. The Sun is the brightest object in the solar system. You do not ever look directly at the Sun because it can harm your eyes.
Q: What are Sun Spots?
A sun spot is a spot on the sun which has a lower temperature than the areas around it. It also contains a lot of magnetic activity. Sunspots are regions on the surface of the sun which are cooler than its surroundings. It appears to be darker. They are still very hot but considered to the sun's temperature it is cool. Sunspots often form in a group. A sunspot has a penumbra, the lighter parts, and umbra, the darker parts.
Q: What are Solar Flares?
Solar flares are explosions from the Sun that happen near a sunspot. They can reach over a million degrees and are organized in X, M and C class flares. A solar flare is a magnetic storm on the Sun which is a very bright spot. Sometimes there are eruptions which are made form gas. Solar flares release a huge amount of particles that are very hot. Solar flares can cause sun quakes. Energy is released form the seismic waves during a sun quake. The sun quakes release more energy than the ones on Earth.
Q: What is Solar Wind?
Solar wind is charged particles or plasma from the upper atmosphere of a star. Solar winds are a continues stream of electrically charged particles that are from Sun. It takes about 4 and a half days for the solar winds to reach Earth. The solar winds move about 250 miles per second. Solar winds affect everything in the solar system. It can disrupt electronic communication and can push spacecraft.
Q: What is the rotation period of the Sun?
The rotation period of the Sun is 24.59 days.
Q: What is the equatorial diameter of the Sun?
The diameter of the Sun from the equator is 1.4 million kilometers or 870,000 miles.
Q: What is the Sun's gravity?
The gravity of the Sun is very strong since it contains 99.8% of the gravity in the solar system it is also the only thing that is keeping the planets in orbit.
Q: What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse is when the moon blocks out the light of the Sun. A solar eclipse is when the moon is between the Sun and Earth. A solar eclipse does not last a very long time but only a few minutes. Eclipses happen in different parts of the world and at different times. It is very rare that one would occur in the United States.
Q: What is the Sun made up of?
Everyone knows that the Sun is a star but do they know that the Sun is made up of 70% hydrogen and 28% helium. Carbon, Nitrogen and Oxygen make up 1.5% of the Sun. The final 0.5% is made up of small elements like iron.
Q: How much longer will the Sun provide light for us?
The Sun will shine for about 5 billion more years.
Sun Definitions:
Umbra - a place where a shadow is darkest with no light coming in
Penumbra - a place where light is blocked yet, some light is still coming in
Corona - a circle of light that is usually shown in the Sun and the Moon
Sources:
http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/ssl/pad/solar/flares.htm
http://pluto.space.swri.edu/IMAGE/glossary/solar_wind.html
http://hypertextbook.com/facts/1999/RadhikaKapoor.shtml
http://www.mreclipse.com/Special/SEprimer.html
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_kids/AskKids/suncomp.shtml
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/sun/prominences.shtml
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/sun/sunspots.html
Images From:
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Ps/tss/Images/33989.jpg
http://planet.esuhsd.org/resources/images/solar_flares.html
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2005/images/sun-soho011905-1919z.jpg
http://www.space.com/images/sunspot_021113_03.jpg
http://www.enterprisemission.com/images_v2/Solar%20Flare%20and%20Prominence.jpg
