The Sun and Moon are Earth’s constant companions. We bask in the Sun’s heat and light. It provides Earth’s energy, and life could not exist without it. We rely on the Moon to light dark nights. Earth’s closest neighbor, the Moon is the only other object in space that humans have ever set foot on. Together, the Sun, Earth, and Moon are responsible for ocean tides, eclipses, and the phases of the Moon. But they couldn’t be more different when it comes to size and structure. How do the characteristics of Earth, the
Sun, and the Moon compare to one another?
What are the physical characteristics of the Sun?
The Sun is a star at the center of our solar system. This means that the Sun is more similar to other stars than to Earth or the Moon. The Sun seems larger and brighter than other stars because it is so close to Earth. Here are some other physical characteristics of the Sun.
• Surface: The Sun, like all stars, is a glowing ball of gas. Even if a spaceship could withstand the heat, it could not land on the Sun because the Sun’s surface is not solid.
• Atmosphere: Because the Sun is made up of gas, it has a very thick atmosphere. An atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding an object in space. The
majority of the gas that
makes up the Sun is
hydrogen. The gases in
the Sun are packed tightly together, making it incredibly dense. This contributes to the Sun’s very strong gravity.