The Sun

White light image from SOHO.
The Sun is a big bright sphere 149 million kilometers away, 300,000 times as much material as the Earth, 100 times the diameter. Big Questions about the Sun

1. Why does it shine?
2. What is it made of?
3. Where does it get its energy?
4. How old is it?

We will learn all these things, and others as well.
Destination check: The Sun is prototype for other stars.

• Why does it shine?
  • The electromagnetic spectrum
  • Experiments in the golden days of yesteryear
  • Systems of Temperature
• The relation between color and temperature: Wien's Law