| The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system. It is the closest star to the Earth. It is 4 1/2 billion years old. The Sun supports life on Earth. It affects the seasons, climate, and weather. It is the biggest, brightest, and hottest object in our solar system.
The Sun is made out of 70% hydrogen, and 28% helium. It is a burning ball of gas. The Sun is extremely hot! The center of the Sun is thought to be 10 million to 22 1/2 million degrees Fahrenheit. The surface is much cooler; it is only 1 1/2 million to 2 million degrees! The Sun has cooler areas on the surface that are called Sun Spots. These spots can be as "cool" as 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit. That is still VERY HOT!
The Sun provides both light and heat for us. If we did not have the Sun, there would not be life on the planet Earth. It takes the Sun's light 8.3 minutes to reach us! But do not worry, the Sun will continue to burn for 5 billion more years! When it does run out of fuel to burn, it will explode and destroy the entire solar system.
The picture above shows what the Sun looks like as it burns in space. You can see a solar flare on the top right side of the picture. A solar flare is like a giant storm. Solar flares can disrupt television, radio, satellites, and cell phone signals. This means that there might be static and/or the signals may not carry as far.
Do you know what day of the year we are closest to the Sun? We are closest to the Sun on or about January 2nd each year!
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