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1.3.

Distance of the Sun to the Earth


The Sun formed about 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a region
within a large molecular cloud. The central mass became increasingly hot and dense,
eventually initiating thermonuclear fusion in its core. It is thought that almost all stars form
by this process. The Sun is a G-type main-seuence star !G"#$ based on spectral class and it
is informally designated as a yellow dwarf because its visible radiation is most intense in the
yellow-green portion of the spectrum, and although it is actually white in color, from the
surface of the %arth it may appear yellow because of atmospheric scattering of blue light. In
the spectral class label, G2 indicates its surface temperature, of appro&imately '(() *
!''+' ,-$, and V indicates that the Sun, li.e most stars, is a main-seuence star, and thus
generates its energy by nuclear fusion of hydrogen nuclei into helium. In its core, the Sun
fuses about 6"+ million metric tons of hydrogen each second.
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and
consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields. It has a diameter of about
/,01",6)4 .m !)6',0(4 mi$, around /+1 times that of %arth, and its mass !/.1)12/+
0+
.ilograms, appro&imately 00+,+++ times the mass of %arth$ accounts for about 11.)63 of the
total mass of the Solar System. -hemically, about three uarters of the Sun4s mass consists of
hydrogen, while the rest is mostly helium. The remainder !/.613, which nonetheless euals
',6++ times the mass of %arth$ consists of heavier elements, including o&ygen, carbon, neon
and iron, among others.
The Sun is currently traveling through the 5ocal Interstellar -loud !near to the G-
cloud$ in the 5ocal 6ubble 7one, within the inner rim of the 8rion 9rm of the :il.y ;ay. 8f
the '+ nearest stellar systems within /( light-years from %arth !the closest being a red dwarf
named <ro&ima -entauri at appro&imately 4." light-years away$, the Sun ran.s fourth in
mass. The Sun orbits the center of the :il.y ;ay at a distance of appro&imately "4+++=
"6+++ light-years from the galactic center, completing one cloc.wise orbit, as viewed from
the galactic north pole, in about ""'="'+ million years. Since the :il.y ;ay is moving with
respect to the cosmic microwave bac.ground radiation !-:6$ in the direction of the
constellation >ydra with a speed of ''+ .m?s, the Sun4s resultant velocity with respect to the
-:6 is about 0(+ .m?s in the direction of -rater or 5eo.
The mean distance of the Sun from the %arth is appro&imately / astronomical unit
!/'+,+++,+++ .m@ 10,+++,+++ mi$, though the distance varies as the %arth moves from
perihelion in Aanuary to aphelion in Auly. 9t this average distance, light travels from the Sun
to %arth in about ) minutes and /1 seconds. The energy of this sunlight supports almost all
life
BbC
on %arth by photosynthesis, and drives %arth4s climate and weather. The enormous
effect of the Sun on the %arth has been recogni7ed since prehistoric times, and the Sun has
been regarded by some cultures as a deity. 9n accurate scientific understanding of the Sun
developed slowly, and as recently as the /1th century prominent scientists had little
.nowledge of the Sun4s physical composition and source of energy. This understanding is still
developing@ there are a number of present day anomalies in the Sun4s behavior that remain
une&plained.
The sun rotates on its a&is for about "( days to reach one round. This rotational
movement was first noticed through observation of sunspots change position. The sun4s
rotation a&is tilted as far as (."' , from the a&is of %arth4s orbit so that the north pole of the
Sun will be visible in September while the south pole of the Sun is more visible in :arch.
The sun is not a solid ball, but a ball of gas, so the sun does not rotate with a uniform
velocity. 9stronomers suggested that the rotation of the interior of the Sun is not the same as
the surface. The core and the radiative 7one rotates simultaneously, while the convective 7one
and photosphere also rotate together but at different speeds. %uatorial part !middle$ rotation
ta.es about "4 days while the poles rotate for about 0/ days. Source of the Sun4s rotation
period difference was observed. The sun and the entire solar system moving in its orbit
around the :il.y ;ay. The sun is as far as "),+++ light-years from the galactic center of the
:il.y ;ay. The average speed of this movement is )").+++ .m ? h so it is e&pected to ta.e
"0+ million years to reach a perfect lap around the gala&y.

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