SC.3.E.5.2 The Sun is a Star

SC.3.E.5.2 Identify the Sun as a Star that emits energy, some of it in the form of light.

What is the Sun?

The Sun is the star at the center of our solar system. When you stand outside and look up at the sky, the ground you are standing on is part of the planet Earth. The Earth is a planet. There are eight planets in our solar system.

Stars are huge objects in space that produce, or make, their own energy. Some of the energy that stars produce is radiant energy. We can feel radiant energy as heat. Some of the energy stars produce is light. The Sun produces a lot of light. The Sun makes so much light that you can’t see any of the other stars in the sky during the day, even though they are there. The Sun is too bright for the other stars to be seen.

When you look at stars at night, they are much smaller than the Sun. This is because all the other stars are so far away. Have you ever noticed that a person standing close to you looks much bigger than a person standing far away? This is why the Sun appears larger than the other stars: it is much closer.

At night you can also see the Moon in the sky. Sometimes you can even see the moon during the day. Planets and moons do not produce light. They reflect the light of the Sun. The side of the moon facing the Sun reflects the light of the Sun. The side of the moon facing away from the Sun is dark. This is an important difference between planets and moons, which reflect light, and stars, which make light.