Current Solar Data 2 3 4 Current Space Weather Conditions 2 The Sun is about 4.66 billion years old. Since its birth it has used up about half of the hydrogen in its core. It will continue to radiate "peacefully" for another 5 billion years or so (although its luminosity will approximately double in that time). But eventually it will run out of hydrogen fuel. It will then be forced into radical changes which, though commonplace by stellar standards, will result in the total destruction of the Earth (and probably the creation of a planetary nebula).   Also see: The Nine Planets, StarDate Online: Sun and Fix: Chapter 17 The Sun The Sun* is the most prominent feature in our solar system. It is the largest object and contains approximately 98% of the total solar system mass. One hundred and nine Earths would be required to fit across the Sun's disk, and its interior could hold over 1.3 million Earths. The Sun's outer visible layer is called the photosphere and has a temperature of 6,000°C (11,000°F). This layer has a mottled appearance due to the turbulent eruptions of energy at the surface. Also see: Views of the Solar System   Solar Spectrum *Turn off your browser's javascript to avoid a buch of advertising! Current Solar Images - Includes details of the above images. The entire Yohkoh data set up to one year before present is available for scientific and educational use, thanks to the generosity of the Yohkoh science team. If you know the dates and times for which you would like data, and from what Yohkoh instruments, send an e-mail request to yohkoh_sdac@solar.stanford.edu or gurman@sdac.gsfc.nasa.gov. Big Bear Solar Observatory - Latest Images National Solar Observatory Images & Data Sunspot Drawing NOAA NESDIS - Browse the Solar X-ray Image Archive List of daily Solar images (NASA) - The SOHO Synoptic Database contains daily solar synoptic images from selected ground-based solar observatories and from the Yohkoh SXT. Please note that these images are typically not corrected for instrumental effects and are provided courtesy of the named institutions. This database, together with the SOHO Summary Database, is maintained by the SOHO PI teams at the SOHO EAF/EOF located at GSFC. These databases are used in the daily planning meetings to create the SOHO daily operations schedule. Solar Neutrinos Solar Neutrino Observatory Flipping of the Sun's Magnetic Field Atmospheric Optics The Solar Spectrum 2 U.S. Naval Observatory - Data Services 2   The Solar Calculator     © Copyright 2010 - Samuel J. Wormley   by swormley1@gmail.com