Learn about our sun
The sun is a window into our universe!
By studying the sun, we deepen our understanding of all the other stars you see in the sky & beyond…
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OUR NEAREST STAR
Learn more about the sun, solar missions, space weather, eclipses & transits, aurora, the heliosphere, and related science.
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About the Sun
The Sun is 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) away from the Earth. It’s the only star that humanity has visited.
Solar Missions
Learn about solar missions such as Parker Solar Probe, SDO, SOHO, Stereo & Solar Orbiter. They study the star in our backyard.
Space Weather
Space weather includes any and all conditions and events on the sun, in the solar wind, in near-Earth and in our upper atmosphere.
Eclipses & Transits
A transit is when one object crosses in front of another in space. A transit is called an eclipse when it involves the Sun, Earth & Moon.
Heliosphere
The heliosphere is the sun’s extended atmosphere that surrounds the entire solar system. It is a vast, bubble-like region of space.
Mark your calendars! Two upcoming solar eclipses in 2023 & 2024.
After that, you’ll have to travel, because you won’t see another one in the USA until 2045!!
Photo Credit: Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Parker Solar Probe
Humanity’s First Visit to a Star
Parker Solar Probe is a historic mission, flying into the Sun’s atmosphere (or corona) for the first time! It will have 24 orbits around the sun, traveling at a top speed of 430,000 mph—the fastest man-made object ever! It can also withstand temperatures outside the spacecraft that reach nearly 2,500°F (1,377°C)!
Parker Solar Probe has now touched the sun!
The Sun Today
Current observations of the Sun as seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) & the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
The Sun emits light in all colors. Specialized instruments can observe light far beyond the ranges visible to the naked eye. The “false colors” are chosen to best highlight features in each wavelength.
Want to learn more & the latest news about the Sun? Explore the blog »
