#8 ~ DID YOU KNOW …

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• The Sun is the largest object within our solar system.

• The sun makes up 99.8 percent of the mass of the entire solar system.

• The Sun is located at the center of our solar system, and Earth orbits 93 million miles away from it.

• Eight planets move around the Sun. We call that an orbit. The planets are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

• Lots of smaller worlds orbit the Sun. Pluto is a dwarf planet beyond Neptune. There are many asteroids and comets that go around the Sun, too.

• Though massive, the Sun still isn’t as large as other types of stars. It’s classified as a yellow dwarf star.

• The Sun keeps our planet warm enough for living things to thrive. It gives us light so we can see.

• The connection and interactions between the Sun and Earth drive the seasons, ocean currents, weather, climate, radiation belts and aurorae.

• As a star, the Sun is a ball of gas (92.1 percent hydrogen and 7.8 percent helium) held together by its own gravity.

• The Sun's core is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius).

• The Sun’s visible surface sometimes has dark sunspots, which are areas of intense magnetic activity that can lead to solar explosions.

• Our sun is about 4.5 billion years old.