Many believe that the sun is a planet. This misconception is probably due to the large size of this object.
General information
The sun is the daylight. Other objects of the system revolve around it. Thanks to the activity of the luminary, life on Earth is supported, the climate is determined. The sun is an ancient star. It is estimated that about four to five billion years ago, a giant gas and dust nebula formed in space. From it formed the sun and other planets of the system. However, the luminary incorporated a large part of the mass. Light from it reaches the Earth in just eight minutes.
Internal structure
You can understand that the Sun is a planet or a star, having examined the structure of the star. There are several signs by which some objects differ from others. The sun and other stars are generally massive gas balls. They are held in by the forces of their own gravity.
The central part of the internal structure of the sun is made in the form of a core. Here, hydrogen is converted into helium. During this nuclear reaction , energy is released, which, in turn, is highlighted from the solar surface in the visible part of the spectrum. At a distance of approximately 0.2 to 0.7 of the radius of the object above the core, a region of radiant transport is located. Here, the energy transfer is carried out mainly by the absorption and emission of photons.
In the convection zone, this process is carried out by the substance itself, which is due to the rapid cooling of the layers located at the very top. What is happening is like boiling a liquid, which is heated from below. Visible layers are called "atmosphere". Their radiation partially reaches directly the observer.
Visible surface of the object
Stars, unlike planets, are capable of emitting light. In the layers that form the structure of these objects, corresponding reactions occur. Having examined the characteristics of the layers, one can get the answer to the question: "Is the sun a planet or a star?"
The visible surface of the star is the photosphere - the light-emitting layer. Its thickness is from one hundred to four hundred kilometers. As you approach the outer edge, the temperature decreases from 6600 to 4400 K. The outer shell of the Sun is the chromosphere. Its thickness is about 2 thousand km. The origin of the name of this layer is associated with a reddish color. With altitude, the temperature of the chromosphere rises from 4 to 20 thousand Kelvin.
The corona is the last shell of the sun. It mainly consists of energy eruptions and prominences. The first emanate and erupt hundreds of thousands, and in some cases, over a million kilometers. As a result, a solar wind forms in space. On average, the temperature of the corona ranges from 1 to 2 million K. In some areas, it can reach up to twenty million. However, despite such an elevated temperature, the crown can only be seen during an eclipse. The insignificant brightness of this layer is caused by the low density of its substance.
Features
Scientists have been studying the sun since ancient times. Research continues to this day. However, scientists no longer have the question: "Is the sun a planet or a star?"
At the end of the thirties of the 20th century, the physicist Hans Bethe suggested that fusion reactions act as a source of energy for the luminary and other similar objects. They flow in the bowels of the stars. At a temperature of millions of degrees, helium nuclei are synthesized from hydrogen nuclei.
The sun is a very active star. During an eclipse, flares and prominences can be seen - emissions of matter of various sizes. Flashes on the background of the rest of the surface can be seen with the help of special equipment. Their temperature is higher than the average surface temperature . Scientists attribute the occurrence of outbreaks to distortions (inhomogeneities) of the magnetic field.
Ionized stream
Answering the question of whether the Sun is a planet or a star, one cannot but say more about the flow of ionized particles emanating from the outer surface of the corona. It mainly consists of alpha particles, electrons and protons. A “solar wind" is spreading with a gradual decrease in density.
This stream is divided into two components: slow and fast. The first has a speed of about 400 km / s and a temperature of 1.4-1.6 • 106 K. The composition of the slow wind is close to the composition of the corona. The fast flow has a temperature of 8 • 105 K and a speed of the order of 750 km / s. Its composition is close to the matter of the photosphere. A fast solar wind is more constant than a slow one. Moreover, the latter is distinguished by a double density. A slow ionized stream has a more complex structure than a fast solar wind. In addition, regions of turbulence are present in it.