The Sun is the centre of our solar system, a fact that was not always accepted in ancient times, when the earth was naively assumed to be the centre of not only the solar system, but the universe itself!

The sun is not really "burning", as it has no oxygen to support what we think of as fire, but is being consumed by continuing nuclear fusion reactions that spew out tremendous heat and light.  With the exception of nuclear reactions on planets themselves (man-made ones on Earth), the Sun is the prime source for all energy in the solar system.  It's the mass of the Sun that attracts the planets and keeps them in their orbits.  The energy of the sun is stored by fossil fuels that we burn for power, the energy of the sun evaporates water that condenses again to provide hydro power, and the energy of the sun generates weather systems.

The Sun is one of billions of stars in the universe, itself travelling in a spiraling galaxy, the Milky Way, which in turn is in a pattern of movement linked by attraction to other bodies of stars.

For more information on The Sun:

http://www.seds.org/nineplanets/nineplanets/sol.html
 
 
 

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Page by Francis Perry, April 2002