Exhibit Codex
The Sun
The star at the center of our planetary system. Its gravity binds the planets; fusion in its core supplies sunlight.
Open interactive exhibit ↗About this exhibit
G-type star
Reference and coverage
Time scaling is shared with the interactive atlas. Surface interpretations and reconstructed history have different levels of certainty.
Planetary record
Inside a star
Hydrogen nuclei fuse into helium in the core. Energy travels through a radiative region and a convective envelope before leaving the photosphere. The corona extends far beyond the visible disk.
A changing surface
Magnetic fields create sunspots, flares and coronal loops. The visible animation is an artistic treatment, not a live solar observation.
Scale & future
The Sun contains almost all the mass of our planetary system. In roughly five billion years it will leave the main sequence and expand into a red giant.
Time in this exhibit
4.6 billion years ago · Cloud & disk
The young Sun is surrounded by a disk of gas and dust. Planet formation is underway.
4.54 billion years ago · Young planets
The terrestrial planets are growing through accretion and impacts. Their orbits and surfaces continue to evolve.
Present · Modern system
Eight planets orbit our Sun. This layout compresses distances and adjusts sizes to make every world accessible.
Read the detailed records
Open the full exhibit Codex for individual structure records and time-specific information. The Credits page lists source creators, licenses and adaptations.