Sun

The star at the center of the Solar System, whose gravity binds its members and whose radiation supplies most of their energy.

Solar core: The Sun’s central region, where nuclear fusion converts hydrogen into helium. Fusion in the core releases the energy that eventually emerges from the Sun.
Hydrostatic equilibrium: A balance in which inward gravity is offset by outward pressure within a fluid body. This balance keeps the Sun from collapsing or rapidly expanding.
Solar energy: Energy from sunlight converted into heat or electricity for human use. Photovoltaic and thermal systems turn the Sun’s radiation into usable power.
Red dwarf: A small, cool, low-mass star that burns hydrogen slowly and can live for trillions of years. Red dwarfs are cooler and less luminous than the Sun.
Solar dynamo: The process by which electrically conducting plasma motion generates and sustains the Sun’s magnetic field. Its magnetic cycles drive sunspots, flares, and changes in solar activity.
Nuclear fusion: A process in which light atomic nuclei combine into heavier nuclei, releasing energy. Fusion powers the Sun by converting hydrogen into helium.
Photovoltaics: The direct conversion of light into electrical energy using semiconductor materials. Photovoltaic cells provide a direct technological use of sunlight.
Blue giant: A massive, hot, luminous star with a blue appearance and a comparatively short lifetime. Blue giants show how different a star can be from the Sun in mass and lifespan.
Solar wind: A continuous stream of charged particles flowing outward from the Sun into interplanetary space. It carries solar material and magnetic fields throughout the Solar System.
Solar photosphere: The Sun’s visible surface layer, from which most of its observed light escapes. Its brightness and mottled features form the familiar visible solar disk.

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