1. The Sun

2. The Sun
The Sun is our closest star. It is a member of the Milky Way galaxy. The Sun is a medium sized star. It is believed to be over 4 billion years old.
The center, or core, of the Sun is very hot. A process called "nuclear fusion" takes place there. Nuclear fusion produces a lot of energy. This energy is called solar energy.

3. Solar Energy
Solar energy is the sun’s rays that are radiated to earth. Radiate means to send out in rays or waves.
Solar energy can be converted into other forms of energy on Earth, such as heat and electricity.

4. The Sun
The Sun is a huge, glowing ball at the center of our solar system. It is a star because it creates it’s own light.
The sun provides light, heat, and other energy to Earth that is needed for life to exist.
The sun is made up entirely of gas.
Eight planets and their moons, tens of thousands of asteroids, and trillions of comets revolve around the sun.

5. Solar Flares
The Sun also produces big explosions of energy called solar flares. These flares shoot fast moving particles off the Sun's surface. These particles can hit the Earth's atmosphere and cause a glow called an aurora.

6. Solar Flares

7. Sun Spots Sun spots are areas of the sun that appear darker.
At these spots there is intense magnetic activity and causes the temperature to be much lower.

8. Sun Spots

9. The Sun helping Earth
The sun is used by plants when they make their own food in a process called photosynthesis.
Plants produce oxygen which all life needs to live.

10. The Sun helping Earth
The sun powers the water cycle. It’s energy causes evaporation to occur.

11. The sun is very important to us. It is the center of our solar system
The sun is very important to us. It is the center of our solar system. Remember that the sun provides us with light and heat. It also powers the water cycle and helps plants make their food. The sun is the biggest object in our solar system and therefore has the most gravitational pull. The sun’s gravity is the reason all other objects revolve around it.

12. Questions

13. Why is the sun so important to our solar system?

14. It provides energy for heat and electricity. It powers the water cycle
It provides energy for heat and electricity. It powers the water cycle. It helps in photosynthesis.

15. What is the sun?

16. The sun is a star which is made of gas