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The Sun

Structure and Composition

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Facts about the Sun:

  • Contains approximately 99.8% of all mass in the Solar System

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  •  The Diameter of the Sun is 109 times greater than that of the Earth

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  • The Sun in approximately 330,000 times the mass of the Earth

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  •  Surface gravity on the Sun is 28 times greater than the Earth's

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  • The sun is completely gaseous (meaning no solid material)

Hydrogen

74%

Helium

25%

Other

1%

Composition of the Sun (By Mass):

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Internal Structure

 

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The Core

Center of the Sun where Nuclear Fusion occurs

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Stats:

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  • Density: 150,000 kg/m3

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  • Radius: 200,000 km

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  • Temperature: 15,000,000K

 

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The Radiative Zone

Part of the Sun that surrounds the core.

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Energy is transported away from core through radiation

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Stats:

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  • Density: 15,000 kg/m3

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  • Thickness: 296,000 km

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  • Temperature: 7,000,000K

 

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Convective Zone

Part of the Sun between Radiative Zone and "surface"

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Energy is transported outwards through Convection

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Stats:

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  • Density: 150 kg/m3

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  • Thickness: 200,000 km

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  • Temperature: 2,000,000K

 

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Video of Granulation

Granulation can be seen as regions of bright and dark gas on the surface of the sun.  

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This is caused by convection cells where hot gas rises to the surface (bright areas)  and cooler gas sinks towards the core (dark areas) 

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Outer Structure

 

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The Photosphere

The visible "surface" of the Sun that emits radiation into space.

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Stats:

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  • Density: .0002 kg/m3

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  • Thickness: 500 km

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  • Temperature: 5,800K

 

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The Chromosphere

The lower part of the Sun's atmosphere just above the photosphere.

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Stats:

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  • Density: .000005 kg/m3

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  • Thickness: 1,500 km

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  • Temperature: 4,500K

 

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Corona

The thin, upper atmosphere of the Sun.

 

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Stats:

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  • Density: 

.00000000001 kg/m3

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  • Thickness: Stretches far beyond 

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  • Temperature: 3,000,000K

 

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Now put it all together

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Behavior of the Sun

Differential Rotation:�

  • Sun rotates faster at equator

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  • Rotates the slowest at the poles

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This effect creates a very complex magnetic field...

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How do we know  what we know?

 

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Solar and Heliospheric Observatory

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Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)

 

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Sources

http://spaceflightgtm.nasa.gov.speedera.net/mission_pages/sunearth/news/global-eruption.html

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http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/

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http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/main/index.html

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http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/sun-article.html

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http://ds9.ssl.berkeley.edu/solarweek/MONDAY/facts.html