"...look into all things with a searching eye” - Baha'u'llah (Prophet Founder of the Baha'i Faith)

Pages

Dec 9, 2012

Characteristics of the Sun

Position in solar system: Center
Mean distance from Earth: 92,960,000 mi. (149,600,000 km)
Distance from center of Milky Way galaxy: 27,710 light-years
Period of rotation: 25.45 days at 16' longitude
Inclination (relative to Earth's orbit): 7.2
Equatorial diameter: 865,000 mi. (1,392,000 km)
Diameter relative to Earth: 109.2 times
Mass: 2.192XI0(to the power 27) tons, (1.9891XI0 [to the power 30] kg)
Mass converted to energy each second: 9,500 million pounds (4,300 million kg)
Surface gravity relative to Earth's: 28 times
Temperature at core: 28,280,000°F (15,710,000°C)
Temperature at bottom of photosphere: 12,4oo°F (6,900'C)
Main components: Hydrogen and helium
Present age: 4.6 billion years
Expected future life of hydrogen fuel supply: 6.4 billion years (New York Times ‘Guide to Essential Knowledge’)