The Sun
Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling.
Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman
The Sun's energy is the principal driver of all of Earth's atmospheric events, from weather patterns in the lower layers, through auroras in the upper layers, to the space weather environment of energetic particles at the altitudes of orbiting satellites. The energy originates from the nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium in the Sun's core (nucleosynthesis). Over millions of years, the energy is transported outward to the visible surface, where it is radiated into space.
The Sun contains the vast majority of all matter within our solar system. It is mostly hydrogen, with some helium and smaller amounts of other elements.
The visible surface of the Sun is called the photosphere. The Sun's atmosphere has two transparent layers. The chromosphere is just above the photosphere. The corona is the outer part of the Sun's atmosphere. In the outer region of the corona, particles travel away from the Sun and stretch far out into space. The chromosphere and corona can only be seen during solar eclipses, or with instruments that simulate a solar eclipse.
The SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) spacecraft is currently in position at the L1 point. Once of its instruments, LASCO, is a visible-light coronagraph, a device that blocks the bright light from the Sun's surface, allowing the details in the corona to be clearly seen.
In one of LASCO's images of activity on the Sun, shown here, blobs of plasma (the solar wind stream) can be seen to be emitted from the Sun. Image courtesy of SOHO/LASCO consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA.
To learn a lot more about the Sun, check out our question and answer page on the Sun in our "Ask Us" feature.
Even more about the Sun:
Myths about the Sun -- Windows to the Universe
Sun -- Windows to the Universe
The Sun as Art -- SOHO
Sun -- Windows to the Universe
The Sun as Art -- SOHO
The Heliosphere
Solar Wind
The Sun's Magnetic Field
Solar Activity
The Earth's Magnetosphere
Solar Energetic Particles (Solar Cosmic Rays)
The Sun in the News:
December 21, 2008: Analemma over
the Porch of Maidens -- APOD
December 20, 2008: Solstice at Newgrange -- APOD
December 15, 2008: A Sun pillar over North Carolina -- APOD
November 17, 2008: Sun shines on future Mars colonies -- New Scientist
October 24, 2008: Using sunlight more efficiently -- AIP
October 23, 2008: COROT directly sees 'sun-quakes' in other stars for the first time -- ESA
October 20, 2008: How does solar power work? -- Scientific American
October 2, 2008: NASA spacecraft finds the Sun is not a perfect sphere -- NASA
September 22, 2008: Equinox: The Sun from solstice to solstice -- APOD
September 20, 2008: A darkened sky -- APOD
September 17, 2008: Immigrant Sun -- Astronomy.com
September 9, 2008: Solar shift -- Astrobiology Magazine
September 8, 2008: The Sun will eventually engulf Earth -- maybe -- Scientific American
August 31, 2008: Eclipse over the Great Wall -- APOD
August 21, 2008: August moons -- APOD
August 19, 2008: Chemist travels world to study mysterious properties of neutrinos -- Brookhaven National Lab
August 18, 2008: Baily's beads near solar eclipse totality -- APOD
August 8, 2008: The crown of the sun -- APOD
August 7, 2008: At the sun's edge -- APOD
August 5, 2008: A total solar eclipse over China -- APOD
August 5, 2008: Eclipse darkens NW China, a week before Olympics -- Scientific American
August 2, 2008: Eclipse shirt -- APOD
August 1, 2008: Eclipse blankets Russia; thousands watch in awe -- Scientific American
July 31, 2008: A brief history of solar sails -- Science@NASA
July 31, 2008: Eclipse expert makes hot finds in sun's darkest hour -- National Geographic
July 31, 2008: Solar-cell material can soak up more sun -- New Scientist
July 30, 2008: Voyaging to the stars on a solar breeze -- Scientific American
July 29, 2008: Partial eclipse, total fun -- Science@NASA
July 22, 2008: Total solar eclipse on August 1: Where, how to see it -- National Geographic
July 10, 2008: Science: Simple, inexpensive solar energy from light-absorbing dyes -- AAAS
July 9, 2008: Study puts solar spin on asteroids, their moons, and Earth impacts -- University of Maryland
June 23, 2008: Ancient eclipse found in "The Odyssey", scientists say -- National Geographic
June 1, 2008: How to harvest solar power? Beam it down from space! -- CNN
May 31, 2008: A view to the sunset -- APOD
May 29, 2008: A fog bow over Ocean Beach -- APOD
May 29, 2008: Warm coronal loops offer clue to mysteriously hot solar atmosphere -- NASA GSFC
May 22, 2008: Sun's properties not 'fine-tuned' for life -- New Scientist
May 20, 2008: The enigmatic sun: A crucible for new physics -- CERN
May 16, 2008: Circles in the sky -- APOD
May 6, 2008: Chasing the green flash -- Astronomy.com
May 4, 2008: An Antarctic total solar eclipse -- APOD
April 18, 2008: Solar flares set the sun quaking -- ESA
April 4, 2008: Medical x-ray technique unveils the sun's corona -- Science Daily
April 3, 2008: 'No sun link' to climate change -- BBC News
March 22, 2008: Cat's Eye Hubble remix -- APOD
March 20, 2008: Sunset: Planet Earth -- APOD
March 13, 2008: Vanguard I celebrates 50 years in space -- Eurekalert
March 6, 2008: Sun's corona is both hot and kinky -- Eurekalert
February 29, 2008: Earth is doomed (in 5 billion years) -- Physics World
January 28, 2008: A solar eclipse painting from the 1700s -- APOD
January 23, 2008: Landmarks: What makes the stars shine? -- Physical Focus Review
January 16, 2008: Upgraded neutrino detector could root out dark matter -- New Scientist
December 26, 2007: "Drilling up" -- Some look to space for energy -- National Geographic
December 22, 2007: Tyrrhenian Sea and solstice sky -- NASA GSFC
December 19, 2007: Solar-like star flares up -- Astronomy.com
December 12, 2007: Foggy San Francisco has ambitious solar plan -- CNN
November 19, 2007: Sun may be smaller than thought -- New Scientist
November 12, 2007: Sun's twin discovered -- Astronomy.com
November 9, 2007: Astronomers discover Sun's twin at McDonald Observatory -- McDonald Observatory
September 14, 2007: New film opening in Boston gives first 3D look at the Sun -- NASA GSFC
September 10, 2007: Partial solar eclipse for some Southern Hemisphere observers -- Astronomy.com
August 20, 2007: Catching some rays -- NSF
July 11, 2007: Study clears Sun of global warming -- Australian Broadcasting Company
June 8, 2007: New model reveals Sun's interior -- Astronomy.com
June 1, 2007: Secrets of the Sun's sizzling corona -- Australian Broadcasting Company
May 30, 2007: Magnetic field uses sound waves to ignite solar ring of fire -- SpaceDaily
May 30, 2007: News from your favorite star -- Astronomy.com
May 22, 2007: Orange Sun oozing -- NASA GSFC APOD
May 10, 2007: Get ready to explore the heart of the Sun -- NASA GSFC
May 7, 2007: SOHO finds solar ripples -- Astronomy.com
April 24, 2007: The Sun in three dimensions -- NASA GSFC APOD
April 23, 2007: NASA spacecraft make first 3-D images of Sun -- NASA JPL
April 6, 2007: NASA unveils first stereo vision of Sun -- AGU Space Weather
March 13, 2007: Lunar transit in STEREO -- Astronomy.com
March 8, 2007: Sunlight sends asteroids spinning -- Australian Broadcasting Company
March 5, 2007: International Heliophysical Year begins -- SpaceDaily
March 3, 2007: Lunar transit from STEREO -- NASA GSFC APOD
March 2, 2007: Solar eclipse from the Moon -- NASA GSFC APOD
March 1, 2007: Ancient solar observatory discovered -- Space.com
February 23, 2007: Sol sister -- SpaceDaily
February 20, 2007: A cool solar mystery -- Science@NASA
February 19, 2007: International Heliophysical Year begins -- European Space Agency
February 7, 2007: Ulysses scores a hat-trick -- European Space Agency
February 7, 2007: NASA-European spacecraft swoops under Sun's pole -- NASA JPL
January 29, 2007: Movie: a green flash over Italy -- NASA GSFC APOD
January 25, 2007: Twin spacecraft swing past Moon to prepare for 3-D solar studies -- SpaceDaily
January 14, 2007: Comet McNaught - a first light present for STEREO -- SpaceRef.com
January 12, 2007: SOHO prepares for Comet Mcnaught -- SpaceDaily
December 20, 2008: Solstice at Newgrange -- APOD
December 15, 2008: A Sun pillar over North Carolina -- APOD
November 17, 2008: Sun shines on future Mars colonies -- New Scientist
October 24, 2008: Using sunlight more efficiently -- AIP
October 23, 2008: COROT directly sees 'sun-quakes' in other stars for the first time -- ESA
October 20, 2008: How does solar power work? -- Scientific American
October 2, 2008: NASA spacecraft finds the Sun is not a perfect sphere -- NASA
September 22, 2008: Equinox: The Sun from solstice to solstice -- APOD
September 20, 2008: A darkened sky -- APOD
September 17, 2008: Immigrant Sun -- Astronomy.com
September 9, 2008: Solar shift -- Astrobiology Magazine
September 8, 2008: The Sun will eventually engulf Earth -- maybe -- Scientific American
August 31, 2008: Eclipse over the Great Wall -- APOD
August 21, 2008: August moons -- APOD
August 19, 2008: Chemist travels world to study mysterious properties of neutrinos -- Brookhaven National Lab
August 18, 2008: Baily's beads near solar eclipse totality -- APOD
August 8, 2008: The crown of the sun -- APOD
August 7, 2008: At the sun's edge -- APOD
August 5, 2008: A total solar eclipse over China -- APOD
August 5, 2008: Eclipse darkens NW China, a week before Olympics -- Scientific American
August 2, 2008: Eclipse shirt -- APOD
August 1, 2008: Eclipse blankets Russia; thousands watch in awe -- Scientific American
July 31, 2008: A brief history of solar sails -- Science@NASA
July 31, 2008: Eclipse expert makes hot finds in sun's darkest hour -- National Geographic
July 31, 2008: Solar-cell material can soak up more sun -- New Scientist
July 30, 2008: Voyaging to the stars on a solar breeze -- Scientific American
July 29, 2008: Partial eclipse, total fun -- Science@NASA
July 22, 2008: Total solar eclipse on August 1: Where, how to see it -- National Geographic
July 10, 2008: Science: Simple, inexpensive solar energy from light-absorbing dyes -- AAAS
July 9, 2008: Study puts solar spin on asteroids, their moons, and Earth impacts -- University of Maryland
June 23, 2008: Ancient eclipse found in "The Odyssey", scientists say -- National Geographic
June 1, 2008: How to harvest solar power? Beam it down from space! -- CNN
May 31, 2008: A view to the sunset -- APOD
May 29, 2008: A fog bow over Ocean Beach -- APOD
May 29, 2008: Warm coronal loops offer clue to mysteriously hot solar atmosphere -- NASA GSFC
May 22, 2008: Sun's properties not 'fine-tuned' for life -- New Scientist
May 20, 2008: The enigmatic sun: A crucible for new physics -- CERN
May 16, 2008: Circles in the sky -- APOD
May 6, 2008: Chasing the green flash -- Astronomy.com
May 4, 2008: An Antarctic total solar eclipse -- APOD
April 18, 2008: Solar flares set the sun quaking -- ESA
April 4, 2008: Medical x-ray technique unveils the sun's corona -- Science Daily
April 3, 2008: 'No sun link' to climate change -- BBC News
March 22, 2008: Cat's Eye Hubble remix -- APOD
March 20, 2008: Sunset: Planet Earth -- APOD
March 13, 2008: Vanguard I celebrates 50 years in space -- Eurekalert
March 6, 2008: Sun's corona is both hot and kinky -- Eurekalert
February 29, 2008: Earth is doomed (in 5 billion years) -- Physics World
January 28, 2008: A solar eclipse painting from the 1700s -- APOD
January 23, 2008: Landmarks: What makes the stars shine? -- Physical Focus Review
January 16, 2008: Upgraded neutrino detector could root out dark matter -- New Scientist
December 26, 2007: "Drilling up" -- Some look to space for energy -- National Geographic
December 22, 2007: Tyrrhenian Sea and solstice sky -- NASA GSFC
December 19, 2007: Solar-like star flares up -- Astronomy.com
December 12, 2007: Foggy San Francisco has ambitious solar plan -- CNN
November 19, 2007: Sun may be smaller than thought -- New Scientist
November 12, 2007: Sun's twin discovered -- Astronomy.com
November 9, 2007: Astronomers discover Sun's twin at McDonald Observatory -- McDonald Observatory
September 14, 2007: New film opening in Boston gives first 3D look at the Sun -- NASA GSFC
September 10, 2007: Partial solar eclipse for some Southern Hemisphere observers -- Astronomy.com
August 20, 2007: Catching some rays -- NSF
July 11, 2007: Study clears Sun of global warming -- Australian Broadcasting Company
June 8, 2007: New model reveals Sun's interior -- Astronomy.com
June 1, 2007: Secrets of the Sun's sizzling corona -- Australian Broadcasting Company
May 30, 2007: Magnetic field uses sound waves to ignite solar ring of fire -- SpaceDaily
May 30, 2007: News from your favorite star -- Astronomy.com
May 22, 2007: Orange Sun oozing -- NASA GSFC APOD
May 10, 2007: Get ready to explore the heart of the Sun -- NASA GSFC
May 7, 2007: SOHO finds solar ripples -- Astronomy.com
April 24, 2007: The Sun in three dimensions -- NASA GSFC APOD
April 23, 2007: NASA spacecraft make first 3-D images of Sun -- NASA JPL
April 6, 2007: NASA unveils first stereo vision of Sun -- AGU Space Weather
March 13, 2007: Lunar transit in STEREO -- Astronomy.com
March 8, 2007: Sunlight sends asteroids spinning -- Australian Broadcasting Company
March 5, 2007: International Heliophysical Year begins -- SpaceDaily
March 3, 2007: Lunar transit from STEREO -- NASA GSFC APOD
March 2, 2007: Solar eclipse from the Moon -- NASA GSFC APOD
March 1, 2007: Ancient solar observatory discovered -- Space.com
February 23, 2007: Sol sister -- SpaceDaily
February 20, 2007: A cool solar mystery -- Science@NASA
February 19, 2007: International Heliophysical Year begins -- European Space Agency
February 7, 2007: Ulysses scores a hat-trick -- European Space Agency
February 7, 2007: NASA-European spacecraft swoops under Sun's pole -- NASA JPL
January 29, 2007: Movie: a green flash over Italy -- NASA GSFC APOD
January 25, 2007: Twin spacecraft swing past Moon to prepare for 3-D solar studies -- SpaceDaily
January 14, 2007: Comet McNaught - a first light present for STEREO -- SpaceRef.com
January 12, 2007: SOHO prepares for Comet Mcnaught -- SpaceDaily
Click on images above to
learn more about them
A service of the Astrophysics
Science Division at NASA's GSFC
Questions and comments to: cosmicopia@cosmicra.gsfc.nasa.gov
Curator: Beth Barbier, SP Systems
Responsible NASA Official: Dr. Tycho von Rosenvinge
Privacy Policy and Important Notices
Questions and comments to: cosmicopia@cosmicra.gsfc.nasa.gov
Curator: Beth Barbier, SP Systems
Responsible NASA Official: Dr. Tycho von Rosenvinge
Privacy Policy and Important Notices
HOME
In the News
History
Ask Us
Great Links
Glossary
Site Map
Search NASA
