The Sun is a star located at the center of the solar system. It is the closest star to Earth and is responsible for providing light and heat to our planet. The Sun has a diameter of about 1.39 million kilometers (864,938 miles) and is about 4.6 billion years old. It is a yellow dwarf star and has a surface temperature of about 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,932 degrees Fahrenheit). The Sun is made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, and it generates energy through the process of nuclear fusion in its core. The energy produced by the Sun is essential for sustaining life on Earth and for driving the weather and climate systems.
How Far Is Sun From The Earth?
The distance between the Sun and Earth varies throughout the year due to Earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun. However, on average, the distance between the Sun and Earth is about 93 million miles or 149.6 million kilometers. This distance is known as one astronomical unit (AU).
To provide some additional information, the distance between the Sun and Earth is not constant because Earth's orbit around the Sun is not perfectly circular, but instead is slightly elliptical. This means that at certain times of the year, Earth is closer to the Sun, while at other times it is farther away.
At its closest point (perihelion) in early January, Earth is about 91.4 million miles (147.1 million kilometers) from the Sun, while at its farthest point (aphelion) in early July, it is about 94.5 million miles (152.1 million kilometers) away. The average distance of 93 million miles (149.6 million kilometers) is therefore a convenient and commonly used approximation.
The distance between the Sun and Earth is important because it affects many aspects of our planet, including its temperature, climate, and the amount of sunlight that reaches the surface.