Discover the size of the sun because it seems small if seen from the earth and how to compare with our planet.
Summary
The sun is a gigantic star, with a diameter of 1.39 million km and a volume that would have more than 1 million lands, which seem small due to its distance of 150 million km from the earth.
The sun is the star closest to the earth and essential for life on the planet. Although it seems small if seen from here, its real dimensions are gigantic. Therefore, understand How big the sun is It helps to better understand the solar system and space in general.
- Read also: the greatest stars in the universe, see what they are!
Astronomes have studied their structure for centuries and still new discoveries today surprise.
With the progress of scientific research, it is possible to respond how many lands would adapt to the sun, compare it with the size of other planets and stars and changes in the size of the sun over time.
What is the size of the sun?
The sun occupies the center of the sun system and is a gigantic star compared to the earth and other planets. The star has astronomical proportions in relation to the earth, although in some cases it seems lower if seen from the earth’s surface.
The sun diameter is approximately 1.39 million km, which is equivalent to 109 times the diameter of the earth. In addition, its average radius is about 695,700 km, a value that can vary according to the measurement method.
The sun mass is estimated at 330,000 times the terrestrial mass, dominating 99.8% of the mass of the solar system. This explains why the other planets orbit the sun. His volume is so large as to adapt to over 1 million planets equal to the earth inside the sun.
- READ ALSO: Earth is gradually moving away from the sun, reveals the study
How are the size of the sun measure?
The size of the sun can be determined by different astronomical techniques. Some use sound waves and their behavior inside the star, which help to estimate their ray and depth. Other techniques directly observe the visible surface of the star, called Photosphere.
The astronomical unit (UA) helps to compare the sun with planets and stars. This unit of measure is equivalent to the average distance between the earth and the sun, of about 150 million km.
- Read also: our sun can be much smaller than we think, says the study
Comparing the sun with the earth and other planets
Comparing the size of the sun with that of the earth and other celestial bodies of the Solar System, more information on the proportions of the star, which is much larger than any planet in our system.
It is believed that over 1.3 million planets equal to those of the earth (which has a diameter of 12,752 km) would adapt to the volume of the sun.
Already compared to Jupiter, the largest planet of the Solar System with a diameter of 139,820 km, the sun is still 10 times larger.
However, stars like Vy Canis Majors are much larger than the sun, which can be up to 2000 times more cumbersome.
Why does the sun seem small from the earth?
Despite its gigantic dimensions, the sun may seem small if observed by the earth’s surface.
This is due to the huge distance that separates humans on earth from the sun star.
The sun is at a distance of about 150 million kilometers from the planet Earth. This is equivalent to about 8 light minutes, that is, the sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach the earth, which contributes to its “reduced” appearance in the sky.
The human visual field also influences the appearance of the sun on earth: since it is far away, the star occupies a relatively small visual area. Therefore, there could be the impression that the sun has the same dimensions of the moon.
- Read also: our sun can be much smaller than we think, says the study
This perspective effect “deceives” the human brain giving the impression that the sun is an object of the size of a ball, when in reality it is a huge plasma sphere made up of hydrogen, helium and small oxygen and carbon fractions.
The same viewing perspective applies to even more distant stars than the sun, which appear on earth as small bright points in the sky at night.
Does the sun change in size?
The sun, as with other stars, undergoes transformations on its existence, including changes in size over time.
During life, the sun maintains a balance between severity and pressure. However, the physical and chemical processes that occur in the star alter this dynamic.
The sun is believed to expand or contract every 11 years during its magnetic activities. At 4.6 billion years, the sun gradually increased its size.
In the future, when the sun is about 7 billion years old, the star will expand and turn into a red giant. This will make the closest planets deceive, such as Mercury, Venus and the earth.
After this phase, the sun will shrink when it becomes a white dwarf, which is a common final phase for the stars with equivalent mass.
Curiosity about the sun
The sun has different and impressive characteristics that show how essential it is for the sun system and other planets, including the earth.
The solar surface, called Photosphere, reaches about 5,500 ° C. The solar core can reach 15 million degrees Celsius. All this energy is produced by the merger of hydrogen atoms in the helium, in a process that generates a lot of warmth and light.
In fact, the sunlight takes about 8 minutes and 18 seconds to reach the earth and travel through space at a speed of almost 300,000 km per second.
Despite being an immense star compared to the earth and other planets, the sun is classified as a normal star, yellow. Remember that this is not the true color of the sun.
To find out more about the curiosities of the universe, technology and everything that can expand their knowledge on these and other topics, Access the content of the byte editorial!
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
