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Encyclopedia > Characteristics > Sun II
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SUN
| Composition | |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen | 92.1% |
| Helium | 7.8% |
| Oxygen | 0.061% |
| Carbon | 0.030% |
| Nitrogen | 0.0084% |
| Neon | 0.0076% |
| Iron | 0,0037% |
| Silicon | 0.0031% |
| Magnesium | 0.0024% |
| Sulfur | 0.0015% |
| Other components | 0.0015% |
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mass (kg) | 1.989 1030 |
| Mass (Earth = 1) | 332 946 |
| Equatorial radius (km) | 696 000 |
| Equatorial radius (Earth = 1) | 109.12 |
| Mean density (g/cm3) | 1.410 |
| Period of rotation (in days) at pole (surface) : at equator (surface) : inside everywhere : |
36 25 27 |
| Liberation velocity (km/sec) | 618 |
| Luminosity (ergs/sec) | 3.827 1033 |
| Magnitude (V) | -26.8 |
| Temperature at surface | 5800 K |
| Age (billions years) | 4.5 |
Nuclear reactions take place at the center of the sun which emits radiation in the form of heat and photons. Photons take one million years to reach the surface and escape. The visible surface (or photosphere) is covered with an atmosphere called chromosphere. The escaping energetic particles form the solar corona, which extends up to several million kilometers.