Facts about the Sun

You may think you know everything about the sun just because you see it
every day, but there are a lot of amazing facts about the sun that you may not
know very well - just like that it already is a middle-aged star and how will
continue to live on perhaps for more than four billion years, or that like the earth,
the sun also rotates - not every 24 hours, but every 27 days.
One of the best known facts about
the sun is that it is hot. But just exactly
how hot it is, not everyone always
knows or remembers. The sun's surface
has a temperature of about 5,540C,
while its core is about 15 million C
high. Now remember that water reaches
its boiling point at only a hundred
degrees Celsius.
Among the details about the sun
that make it more comprehensible for
people is the comparison between its
dimensions and that of the earth's. In
terms of size, it can be said that a
million earths could actually fit inside
the sun. It is also more than 300,000 times heavier than the earth.
There are billions of stars in the universe, and the sun is only one of them. In
comparison to other stars, our sun is actually a dwarf, for it is 400 times smaller
compared to supergiant stars. Stars like the sun mostly give off light and heat, and
because it has a tremendous amount of energy, it shines so bright in spite of being
about 150 million kilometers away.
Sometimes, people fail to realize that without the sun, there would be no life
on earth. The heat or solar energy that comes out from the sun prevents the earth
from becoming a cold and lifeless planet.
People have always wondered what the sun was made of. At first, it was
thought out to be a solid rock, and then later, a liquid ball of fire. To be more
precise about it, the sun is made of hydrogen, helium and other low number gases.
Hydrogen makes up most of the sun - all 92% of it.
Of confusion during the olden times was also the location of the sun. Others
thought that the earth was at the center of the system, hence, the geocentric view.
Later however, Copernicus proposed what is now more widely recognized as the
heliocentric model - that is, the sun, being in the center of the solar system.

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An interesting fact about the sun is that it does not rise or set, even if we
usually say that it does. It only seems to rise and set because the earth is moving
on a tilted axis.
The moon which shines intensely on dark nights, do not really have a light of
its own. Its light comes from the brightness of the sun, which the moon merely
reflects. Stars like the sun are the only ones in the universe which emit a light of
its own, all the rest merely reflect their light.
At this very moment, astronomers continue to observe and study the sun, and
more than just determining its size and its temperature, we now have information
on the sun's layers, activities and even help predict space weather based on the
sun's activity.
As people continue to progress and develop more sophisticated instruments
and methods used to study heavenly bodies like the sun, there will always be more
interesting facts about the sun that will likely be discovered.

Knowing the Facts about the Sun's Energy

Among the most amusing facts about the sun is the type of energy it provides
for the earth and its inhabitants - solar energy. From solar powered calculators to
solar powered cell phones and cars, the sun's energy when put to efficient use can
certainly bring people a long way.
The sun is almost a hundred million miles away from earth, yet it possesses
tremendous heat that the energy that comes from it could still be used on earth.
There are many advantages to using solar energy, and one of them is that it is a
renewable form of energy. It does not just run out, for as long as the sun is shining,
there will be solar energy.
One piece of information about the sun's energy that is worth remembering
include the importance of solar panels, as they are needed to convert the sun's
energy into something that people can use, like electricity or heat, or even
chemical and mechanical energy. The system often works this way: panels absorb
the sun's energy, and store it in a battery so that it can be used as needed, even
when the weather is cloudy or rainy.
Another known fact about the sun's energy is that it is clean and free. It does
not produce any known waste products when one uses it, and aside from spending
on solar panels and their installment, there are no monthly dues to worry about
upon using this type of energy.
Other facts about the sun's energy pertain to how knowledge of it and its uses
have developed. In North Africa, at the Mojave Desert, is where the biggest solar

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plant can be found, indicating that people have really started to seriously consider
it as a viable resource.
Aside from knowing how solar energy is obtained and used, it is also
interesting to look at how it is created. The sun's energy originates from its
nucleus where the fusion of hydrogen forms helium.
Solar energy is truly powerful. In fact, only a small fraction of this energy
reaches the earth as it is distributed in various directions, yet part of it is already
conserved as a chemical energy in plants, aiding in the process of photosynthesis.
You may think that only electronic gadgets end up being powered by solar
energy but this is not true. The sun's energy is stored in organic materials as well
and enables them to be used for many other purposes. Grains for instance, when
fermented, become ethanol which can be used as fuel, and is nonetheless a product
of solar energy. Coal is also a product of solar energy.
Not only does solar energy play a huge role on products and technology that
people use, it also has a huge impact on the earth's weather and climate. Areas
near the equator experience a more focused energy coming from the sun, resulting
into longer summer days and warm waters.
If there are any facts about the sun's energy which are of no secret to people,
it may be that it takes some time - actually, quite a long time to gather sufficient
solar energy. It may take a whole day for solar collectors to gain a significant
amount of solar energy. Nevertheless, as human knowledge about the sun and
technology continue to improve, solar energy is yet to be used and developed at its
best.

The Life and Death of the Sun

Perhaps one of the most dramatic facts about the sun is that although it seems
to be classified as a nonliving thing, it does experience life and death. The sun has
been around for the longest time, living for centuries that it seems unthinkable for
it to disappear. Yet, the truth is that there will come a time when the sun will cease
to shine, although whether the human race will live to see that day cannot be said
for sure.
Like all other stars, the life of the sun started when a lump of gas and dust
went through high pressure and temperature strong enough to start nuclear fusion.
It then fused hydrogen into helium, and in the process, produced light and heat.
The sun continues to do so until today, and this is what enabled people to have an
experience of the sun's energy.
At first, the sun in its youth, gathered strong winds, clearing the solar system
of other gases which have not been used in developing planets. But as the sun

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aged, it has settled in this activity somehow, and has become even brighter and
hotter as time passed by.
Based on the average lifetime of middling stars, the sun is believed by
scientists to live for the next five billion years. The gas shines brightly and emits
solar energy by burning hydrogen gas stored in its layers. The hottest portion of
the sun is its core, and it is the core that heats the shell of hydrogen in the sun's
layers, fusing hydrogen into helium. This is the process responsible for explaining
the sun's energy.
Some facts about the sun and its life that need to be remembered are how it
looks like and how it behaves once it reaches the later years of its life. The sun
will run out of gas, so to speak and when that begins to happen, the core will no
longer be the source of energy, but the layer close to the sun's surface.
Towards the end of its life, the sun will increase in terms of size, with its
radius being 30 times bigger. When this happens, the sun will be considered a red
giant type of star. It will no longer look yellow, but red, with its temperature
decreasing from 9,000 to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit. This is considered cool for a
star. This phase of the sun as being a red giant is expected to last for about two
billion years.
Even if the sun has cooled down at its red giant phase, it is at this stage when
it will be bursting with energy, making living on earth impossible due to too much
heat.
For 500 million years, the sun will enter another phase when the helium in its
core fires up and fuses into carbon, releasing more energy. The sun will expand
and grow so huge that it no longer holds itself together. The outer layers begin to
waft away and wander into space as planetary nebula in a span of 10,000 years.
The fading of planetary nebula signals the end of the sun's life. Its gaseous
sphere drifts away and may be gathered in a new cloud that will become a part of a
new star. As you can see, these facts about the sun, specifically - about its life and
death, tell us that stars do have beginnings and endings.

Vitamin D and the Sun
There are practical and useful facts about the sun besides the use of solar
energy, one of them being the sun as a significant source of vitamin D. Not only is
vitamin D from the sun effective, it is also found to be the most natural. It is
absorbed by the body through the skin's exposure to sunlight.
Vitamin D has been found to be a helpful factor in the prevention of disease
alongside proper diet and exercise. A lot of diseases like cancer, heart failure and
osteoporosis could be avoided through the proper intake of vitamin D. What's

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even good about it is that even a short period of exposure of the skin to the sun is
enough to provide a good amount of vitamin D.
One of the known facts about the sun and vitamin D is that ninety percent of
people's vitamin D comes from the skin's exposure to the sun. When ultraviolet
rays reach the skin, cholesterol is converted to vitamin D3. Although there are
types of food that contain vitamin D like cod liver oil, krill oil and milk, there are
not many of them.
Take note of course, that there is a huge difference between getting enough
exposure from the sun to get vitamin D, and getting too much UV exposure to the
point of getting sunburned. It usually takes only common sense to know when one
already has enough. Avoid sunburn, but do not avoid the sun.
Contrary to popular belief, the darker you are, the more sun exposure you
actually. This is due to the fact that melanin which is responsible for skin color,
acts as some kind of sunscreen to protect the skin. The greater the amount of
melanin in the skin, the more sunscreens there are, and therefore the more there is
a need for sun exposure in order to get vitamin D.
Just how vital the sun's role is in providing vitamin D for humans cannot be
overstated. Today, more than fifty types of cancer are found to be related to
vitamin D deficiency. Unfortunately, only overexposure to sunlight is emphasized
today due to the proliferation of products which offer UV protection. However, it
does appear that more people suffer from vitamin D deficiency rather than
overexposure to the sun.
What's good about vitamin D from the sun is that it is fat soluble. This means
that it can be stored in the body for longer periods of time. Getting a lot of vitamin
D in the summer means that you will have enough for the winter season when it is
more difficult to get exposed to sunlight. Note that the extra amount of vitamin D
taken in by the body is de-metabolized.
Most health groups encourage people to get 1,000-2,000 IU of vitamin D,
particularly from the sun. People hardly get too much vitamin D from the sun for it
is a natural source, and it is natural for people to get out of sunlight when they feel
that it is too hot or they are probably overexposed.
As you can see, the sun is not only humankind's companion for work or
daytime activities; it is also an essential part of human health. How the sun
naturally and efficiently provides vitamin D for humans to keep us healthy is
probably one of the most amazing facts about the sun.

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The Sun: Astrological Effects and Remedies

There are a lot of facts about the sun known to us today, partly due to the
highly improved technological instruments that allow us to observe its activity,
and also due to our advanced knowledge about the world in general. However,
since ancient times, the sun has been of special interest to the earliest of human
civilization due to its special position and great energy, so that it has earned a
place in humankind's religion, literature and even lifestyle.

The wonder book of Astrology refers to what others consider facts about the
sun based on the second chapter of Lai Kitab, and offers details as to how the sun
would affect houses with reference to its position.

It is viewed that the sun will
have adverse effects in houses where
it is placed. For instance, in the first
house, the native is to have a
permanent source of income, yet his
father may die early. Other problems
may occur, yet remedial measures
include marrying before one is 24
years old.

In the second house, the native
is seen to be self-dependent. Adverse
effects lie in disputes between the
wife and family members. Measures
that can be taken are avoiding disputes regarding wealth and women.

In the third house, the native is self-dependent and intellectual. Problems
revolve around robbery, where remedial measures include practicing good conduct
and serving others.

In the fourth house, positive qualities like wisdom and kindness are bestowed
on the native, whose problems may center on greediness. The solution to this is
giving alms.

It is in the fifth house, the native is assured of his family's progress and
prosperity. The most daunting problem is the death of family members, and the
only way to solve it is to not delay in having children.

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A lucky native is said to be in the sixth house in which he will have a
beautiful wife. The downside is the encounter with health problems. The remedy is
to follow ancestral customs.

The seventh house gives the native a chance to have unending sources of
income. The basic obstacle though, is the death of family members, to which the
basic remedy is to lessen the amount of salt intake.

It is in the eighth house where the native is supposed to get favors from the
government. Economic crisis and ill health are among the difficulties for this
native, and the remedy is to not live in a house facing the south.

Good luck and a good-natured family await the native of the ninth house.
Challenges include trouble from the government and one's brothers. In this case,
extreme feelings of anger and soft-heartedness should be avoided.

The native of the tenth house will experience favors from the government
and at the same time, is coupled with a short life. The remedy here is to abstain
from liquor and milk, and to avoid wearing black clothes. The native in the 11th
house is supposed to avoid meat, while that in the 12th house should always
forgive his enemies.

These astrological perceptions about the sun and its position are based on
ancient beliefs about the sun's authority. Note that the facts about the sun stated
here may simply be superstitious for some people, yet there are others who tend to
believe it and make it a part of their lives.

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Document Outline

• Facts about the Sun
• Knowing the Facts about the Sun's Energy
• The Life and Death of the Sun
• Vitamin D and the Sun
• The Sun: Astrological Effects and Remedies

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