The Sun - in the prime of its life. Source: SOHO (ESA & NASA)
Average Distance from the Earth: 149.6 million km (1.0 AU) Size
(Equatorial Diameter): 1 392 000 km (109 x that of Earth) 1.989
x 1030 kg (333 000 x that of Earth) 27.28 days (Synodic Period)
25.38 days (Sidereal Period) 5 500°C (surface) 15 000 000°C
(core) 273 m/s2 (27.9 x that of Earth) The Sun is the star at
the centre of our Solar System. It is the largest object in the
Solar System, containing 99.86% of its total mass. Due to its
great mass, the Sun's gravity dominates the Solar System and
holds all of the planets in orbit. The energy it produces
through nuclear fusion provides the light and heat for our
family of planets. The Sun is located in an outer spiral arm of
the Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 28,000 light-years from the
Galaxy's centre. The Sun goes around the Galaxy once every 220
million years. This length of time is known as a Cosmic Year.
The Sun's path around the Galaxy is not flat, but goes up and
down like a merry-go-round, p