New Delhi: Sun resides in the Milky Way galaxy, specifically within a spiral arm called the Orion Spur, which extends outward from the Sagittarius arm. It doesnt stay stationary instead, it orbits the center of the galaxy, carrying with it the planets, asteroids, comets, and other objects that make up our solar system. Traveling at an astonishing speed of approximately 450,000 miles per hour (720,000 kilometers per hour), the solar system takes around 230 million years to complete a full orbit around the Milky Way.How the Solar System moves through space... pic.twitter.com/Qn2Aywq9vX— Curiosity (@MAstronomers) August 29, 2024In addition to its galactic journey, the Sun also rotates on its own axis. Its axis is tilted by 7.25 degrees relative to the plane of the planets orbits. However, because the Sun is not a solid body, its rotation varies across its surface. At the equator, it completes one rotation every 25 Earth days, while at its poles, one rotation takes about 36 Earth days.How was the Sun formedOur Sun formed around 4.6 billion years ago from a massive, spinning cloud of gas and dust known as the solar nebula. This nebula collapsed under its own gravity, accelerating its spin and flattening into a disk. The majority of the nebulas material was drawn toward the center, where it ultimately formed the Sun. The Sun now accounts for 99.8% of the total mass of our solar system, with the remaining material forming the planets and other celestial objects that orbit the Sun today. The leftover gas and dust were expelled by the young Suns powerful solar wind.Like all stars, the Suns energy is finite. When it exhausts its nuclear fuel, it will expand into a red giant, growing large enough to swallow Mercury, Venus, and potentially Earth. Scientists estimate that the Sun is currently about halfway through its life cycle and will continue to shine for another 5 billion years before eventually shrinking into a white dwarf.Rings around the SunDuring the early formation of the solar system, around 4.6 billion years ago, the Sun was surrounded by a disk of gas and dust. Some of this material remains today, existing in the form of dust rings that circle the Sun. These rings follow the orbits of planets, whose gravitational forces have shaped the dust into defined paths around the Sun.What is the Suns namesakeThroughout history, the Sun has been known by various names. The Latin term for the Sun is sol, which is the root of words such as solar. In ancient Greek mythology, Helios was the name of the Sun god, and his name has been preserved in scientific terms like heliosphere and helioseismology.Life on Earth wouldnt be possible without SunDue to its intense heat and radiation, the Sun itself is inhospitable to life as we know it. However, life on Earth would be impossible without the Suns energy. Its light fuels the growth of plants, drives weather systems, and supports ecosystems that sustain life.Size and distance of the SunThe Sun, classified as a medium-sized star, has a radius of about 435,000 miles (700,000 kilometers). Despite its average size compared to other stars, it dwarfs Earth in mass and volume. In fact, it would take over 330,000 Earths to match the Suns mass, and about 1.3 million Earths would be needed to fill its volume.Located approximately 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from Earth, the Suns nearest neighboring stars are part of the Alpha Centauri system. Proxima Centauri, a red dwarf star, lies 4.24 light-years away, while Alpha Centauri A and B—two sunlike stars orbiting each other—are 4.37 light-years away. To put it in perspective, one light-year equals nearly 6 trillion miles (9.5 trillion kilometers).
