The Sun is just one of the billions of billions of stars in the universe. However, for us, it is the most important star. It is the closest one, our everyday source of light, energy and warmth. The Sun, as well as other stars, is a ball of searing hot gas that we call plasma. The temperature inside of the Sun’s core is nearly 16 million degrees Celsius. That is also a reason, together with high pressure, why nuclear fusion can happen at its core. This nuclear fusion produces loads of energy and enough pressure in the plasma, so the Sun does not collapse due to its own gravity. Instead, it is nice and stable until the core provides enough energy. Does it mean that nothing is happening on the Sun at this moment? Not exactly. Our Sun is an active star with plenty of events happening in its photosphere (that we sometimes call the Sun’s surface) and atmosphere.
To learn more about our Sun, its comparison to other stars in the Galaxy, its structure and dynamics, and its famous sunspots that are a firm mark of solar activity, please listen to the full audio booklet below.
Listen to the audio
Audio booklet: The Sun
Sound: Solar wind
Sound: Coronal mass ejection
Make tactile images
Tactile image: The Sun
Tactile image: Space Weather
Print 3D models
3D model: The Sun
3D model: SOHO