The Sun is a nearly perfect spherical star located at the center of our solar system. It is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium and generates energy through nuclear fusion, converting hydrogen into helium in its core. This process produces an immense amount of light and heat, which are essential for life on Earth. The Sun accounts for approximately 99.86% of the total mass of the solar system, exerting a gravitational pull that keeps the planets, including Earth, in orbit around it. It plays a critical role in weather patterns and climate, impacting ecological systems globally. The Sun has a diameter of about 1.4 million kilometers (864,000 miles) and is approximately 4.6 billion years old. Its surface temperature is around 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,932 degrees Fahrenheit), while it can reach even higher temperatures in its core, approximately 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees Fahrenheit). The study of the Sun is essential in the fields of astronomy and space science, as it influences both the solar system and the interstellar medium.
Historic Leap Toward the Sun In a groundbreaking achievement for space exploration, the Parker Solar Probe has successfully completed its closest approach to the Sun, a mission that took six…