Page 249 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Sun SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Atmosphere p.33
▸ ▸ Atoms p.34
The sun is the star at the center of our solar system. It is ▸ ▸ Gases p.117
one of at least 100 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy. ▸ ▸ Magnets p.151
The sun gives off light and heat, making it possible for life ▸ ▸ Milky Way p.167

to exist on Earth. ▸ ▸ Solar system p.233

▸ ▸ Stars p.242
Massive explosions
send jets of gas out
from the surface.
Yellow dwarf
Astronomers describe the sun
as a yellow dwarf, although
it is a medium-sized star.
It is a hot ball of gases
that are constantly
on the move,
Dark sunspots are creating energy.
the cooler regions
on the sun’s
surface.

These bright
bursts of
energy are
called solar
flares.

Loops of gas
are called
prominences.
The sun is
1.3

million
times bigger
than Earth.

Final stages
Auroras of the sun
Toward the top and In about 5 billion years
bottom of the Earth time, the sun will have
(at its poles), particles used up most of the gases
from the sun meet that keep it shining. It will
Earth’s magnetic field. collapse into a small, very
hot white dwarf. It will
This colorful glow is then slowly cool down and
called an aurora. eventually fade away.

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