RAY OF SUNSHINE

DID you know the Sun ejects large amounts of material into space in giant ‘burps’?

These are called coronal mass ejections. If they reach Earth, they j ostle the planet’s magnetic field. This can disrupt technology, such as communication systems and power grids.

Our Sun, the star that powers our solar system, was formed from a nebula of dust and gas about 4.5 billion years ago and is now a giant ball of gas known as a yellow dwarf. It is 1.4 million kilometres across and mostly made of hydrogen and helium, although it has heavier metals at its core. The temperature of the core can reach 15,000,000 degrees Celsius. It is here where nuclear fusion converts hydrogen into helium to release vast energy. The light and heat produced are radiated throughout the solar system. On Earth, we depend on this radiation to survive, but the Sun’s heat makes Venus far too hot for life, and its rays even t ouch t he surface of Pluto in the outer solar system.