The Sun in 3D: Facts About Our Star
The Sun is the star at the centre of our Solar System. Every planet, moon, asteroid and comet moves around it, held in place by its gravity. In the 3D Solar System you can fly up to its glowing surface and then pull back to watch all eight planets circle it.
Explore in 3DSun quick facts
| Type | Yellow dwarf star (G type) |
|---|---|
| Diameter | About 1.39 million km, around 109 Earths across |
| Surface temperature | About 5,500 °C |
| Core temperature | About 15 million °C |
| Light to Earth | About 8 minutes 20 seconds |
| Age | About 4.6 billion years |
| Position | Centre of the Solar System |
Interesting facts about the Sun
- The Sun holds about 99.8% of all the mass in the Solar System.
- Its energy comes from nuclear fusion in the core, where hydrogen is turned into helium.
- Around 1.3 million Earths could fit inside it.
- The sunlight you see left the Sun's surface just over eight minutes ago.
- It is roughly halfway through its life and will one day swell into a red giant.
What you can do in 3D
Fly in close to see the Sun's bright, churning surface, then zoom out to the full system and turn on the orbit lines to see how far each planet sits from it.
From the Sun outwards
Centre of the Solar System. Tap any body to open its page.
Sun questions
How big is the Sun?
The Sun is about 1.39 million km wide, around 109 times the width of Earth. About 1.3 million Earths could fit inside it.
How hot is the Sun?
The visible surface is about 5,500 °C. The core, where fusion happens, reaches about 15 million °C.
How long does sunlight take to reach Earth?
About 8 minutes and 20 seconds. Earth is about 150 million km from the Sun and light covers that in just over eight minutes.
Is the Sun a star?
Yes. The Sun is a yellow dwarf star, an ordinary star of medium size. It looks far bigger and brighter than other stars only because it is so close.
How old is the Sun?
The Sun formed about 4.6 billion years ago, from a huge cloud of gas and dust that also made the planets.
The 3D Solar System is made by Julian Neagu, a solo founder in London, as part of VisionVix Simulators. It is free to use in the browser on desktop and phone, with no sign-up. Facts are based on NASA data.