Home›Celestial Objects›SunCelestial ObjectsSunAlso Known As Sol · Helios (Greek)Citation FormatsGeneral ReferenceGeneral Reference Citation TextSpace and Astronomy Atlas. "Sun." Accessed August 29, 2026. https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/celestial-objects/sun.Copy General ReferenceAPA StyleAPA Style Citation TextSpace and Astronomy Atlas. (n.d.). Sun. Retrieved August 29, 2026, from https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/celestial-objects/sunCopy APA StyleBibTeXBibTeX Citation Text@misc{spaceandastronomyatlas-sun, author = {Space and Astronomy Atlas}, title = {Sun}, year = {2026}, url = {https://dev-space.interactiveatlas.org/celestial-objects/sun}, note = {Accessed August 29, 2026} }Copy BibTeXReference and ClassificationDevelopingRadiating DiscThe G-type main-sequence star at the center of the solar system, containing about 99.86 percent of the system's total mass. Nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium in its core supplies the light and heat that make life on Earth possible.FactsCross-Tradition ConnectionsSourcesComments (0)Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)FactsObject TypeWell-attestedStar (G-type main-sequence) 1Diameter (km)Well-attested1,391,000 1MassWell-attested1.989 x 10^30 kg 1Cross-Tradition ConnectionsAssociated With'Oumuamua, Celestial Objects Well-attested ConnectedPassed through the inner solar system on a hyperbolic, unbound trajectory; not gravitationally captured into orbit.Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Orbited By67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Celestial Objects Well-attested ConnectedA periodic comet on a Jupiter-family orbit around the Sun.Ceres, Celestial Objects Well-attested ConnectedCeres orbits the Sun within the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.Comet Hale-Bopp, Celestial Objects Well-attested Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Comet NEOWISE, Celestial Objects Well-attested Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Eris, Celestial Objects Well-attested Source NASA Solar System ExplorationHaumea, Celestial Objects Well-attested Source NASA Solar System ExplorationMakemake, Celestial Objects Well-attested Source NASA Solar System ExplorationPallas, Celestial Objects Well-attested Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Vesta, Celestial Objects Well-attested Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Sources1. NASA Solar System ExplorationNational Aeronautics and Space Administration1. NASA Solar System ExplorationNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOrbited By: Eris, science.nasa.gov, Dwarf Planets: Eris1. NASA Solar System ExplorationNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOrbited By: Haumea, science.nasa.gov, Dwarf Planets: Haumea1. NASA Solar System ExplorationNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationOrbited By: Makemake, science.nasa.gov, Dwarf Planets: MakemakeEncyclopedia Britannica: Space ExplorationEncyclopedia Britannica, Inc.Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Wikimedia FoundationSun, Wikipedia - etymology sectionQuote, Sun, Wikipedia - etymology sectionFrom the Greek helios comes the rare adjective heliac.Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Wikimedia FoundationOrbited By: Vesta, en.wikipedia.org, 4 Vesta, infoboxWikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Wikimedia FoundationOrbited By: Pallas, en.wikipedia.org, 2 Pallas, infoboxWikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Wikimedia FoundationOrbited By: Comet Hale-Bopp, en.wikipedia.org, Comet Hale-Bopp, lead sectionWikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Wikimedia FoundationOrbited By: Comet NEOWISE, en.wikipedia.org, C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE), lead sectionWikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: 'Oumuamua, en.wikipedia.org, Oumuamua, lead sectionComments (0)No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.Sign in to join the discussion.Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.View At A Past YearThe atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.Show This Year