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The Sun
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Our very own star 

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The x-ray sun taken by a small rocket.

 
 
The picture on the right shows a large sunspot as it moves around the sun.

The Sun
 
Distance from Earth:
93 million miles
(150 million km)
 
Sidereal revolution period:
365.26 days
 
Mass:
(Earth = 1) 333,000 
 
Radius at Equator:
(Earth = 1) 109
 
Apparent Size:
32 arc minutes
 
Sidereal Rotation period:
(at equator) 25.4 days

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The sun is the main source of all life on our planet.  Many millions of years ago the sun came to life as matter possibly from an antient gas cloud collapsed and formed our early solar system. Heavier element traveled tword the center while lighter elements remained to the outer reaches. As the matter became more and more dense and the young protosun began to heat up. As time went by our sun grew in activity and soon became the object we see today.
The temperature of the sun varies greatly with a core of about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit to 10,500 degree Fahrenheit at the photosphere. One of the most promenent features on the surface is the appearance of sunspots which increase and decrease on an average of an 11 year cycle. Sunspots are often associated with interference in radio and television signals. And although when observed may look like as if part of the sun has burnt out, but are actually areas of concentrated magnetic activity only about 3,600 degrees cooler than the photosphere.
 
Please use caution if you observe the Sun. Looking through the lens of a telescope at the Sun will cause blindness 

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Solar Flare visible during an eclipse. (Large solar flares can often set off the Northern Lights)