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Sol
  Source credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory (Goodard Space Flight Center)

Sol, our sun

Sol is the star that the planets, comets, and many asteroids in our solar system orbit around. Sol is a class G2 main-sequence yellow dwarf star. Only about 8% of all stars in the Milky Way galaxy for G-type stars.

The Sun is spectacular when viewed using a solar filter or dedicated solar scope for seeing sunspots & prominences.

Sun Facts
      1. Age (years)
      2. 4.603 billion
      1. Type
      2. Yellow dwarf
      1. Classification
      2. G2V
      1. End of life
      2. White dwarf
      1. Mass (kg)
      2. 1.989 x 1030
      1. Equatorial radius (km)
      2. 695,000
      1. Mean density (gm/cm3)
      2. 1.410
      1. Rotational period (days)
      2. ~27 avg
      1. Equatorial escape velocity (km/sec)
      2. 618.02
      1. Visual geometric albedo
      2. 0.3
      1. Magnitude
      2. -26.8
      1. Mean surface temperature
      2. 6,000°C
      1. Composition
      2. Hydrogen=91%, Helium=9%


    For a list of solar eclipses, see Upcoming solar eclipses. For a list of planetary transits across the Sun, see Transits of Venus & Mercury.