The Sun
About 1.3 million Earths could fit inside the Sun, and it holds 99.8% of all the mass in our solar system.
What’s going on
The Sun is about 109 times wider than Earth, so its volume could hold roughly 1.3 million Earths. It is a ball of hot gas, mostly hydrogen and helium, that has been shining for about 4.6 billion years. Its gravity keeps every planet, moon and comet in orbit. Sunlight takes about 8 minutes 20 seconds to reach us. Never look straight at it: it can damage your eyes.
Myth
The Sun is a yellow star.
Fact
Above our air it shines white; the atmosphere scatters blue light away and makes it look yellow from the ground.
Learn more
NASA Science, “Sun: Facts”; NASA Space Place, “The Sun” (science.nasa.gov/sun; spaceplace.nasa.gov).
Play Myth or Fact? Read out either the sentence on the card or the myth above. Can everyone tell which is true?
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