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Astronomy Year / Week 09 / Thursday
4/6
Week 09 · Star Colors and Brightness

Thursday

Our Sun, a middle-sized star
// Hot stars, cool stars, near and far
⏱ about 15 min

Thursday: Our Sun, a middle-sized star

Rocket says, "The Sun must be the biggest star ever!"

Raven remembers the flashlights. "What do you notice about how close it is?"

Nova hums. "Hint: many stars are much bigger than the Sun."

Close, not biggest

The Sun is the closest star to Earth.

That is why it looks so big and bright.

Many other stars are much larger than the Sun.

They look tiny only because they are so far away.

Sunlight takes about 8 minutes to reach Earth.

Safety first
Never look at the Sun.
Not with sunglasses. Not with binoculars. Not with a telescope.
The Sun can hurt your eyes very fast.
SUN CHECK
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Why does the Sun look brighter than every other star?
About how long does sunlight take to reach Earth?
Sun factTrue or false?
The Sun is the biggest star there is.?
The Sun is the closest star to Earth.?
You can look at the Sun if it is close to sunset.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEDistance makes the Sun look like the most important star to us.

Size and distance

Hold up your thumb at arm's length.

Your thumb can cover a whole house far away!

Close things look big. Far things look small.

That is why the Sun looks bigger than giant stars.

CLOSE IS NOT BIGGEST
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Your thumb covers a far away house. Is your thumb bigger?
Is the Sun bigger than every other star?
Which giant star did we meet in Orion?
Is it ever safe to look at the Sun near sunset?
NEAR TO FAR
  • Start with the nearest.
  • Tap a card, then tap its spot.
1Nearest
2Middle
3Farthest
Try it
Stand at a window with a grown-up.
Hold your thumb out at arm's length.
Cover a tree or car far away with your thumb.
Safety first
Never look toward the Sun.
Stay inside by the window.
Draw your thumb covering something far away.

You solved the Sun puzzle! Tomorrow we rank bright lights in the night sky.

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