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Science · Solar system

Stars & galaxies

The Sun is a star; the Milky Way is a galaxy.

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What is the Sun?

The Sun looks special because it is so close to us. But the Sun is actually a star, just like the tiny dots you see at night. Stars are giant balls of hot, glowing gas. The Sun seems huge and bright because it is our nearest star. Other stars look tiny because they are very, very far away.

Why do stars look different from the Sun?

All stars make their own light by burning gas inside them. The Sun is about 150 million kilometres from Earth. That sounds far, but other stars are trillions of kilometres away! Distance makes them look like tiny points of light. If you could travel to another star, our Sun would look tiny too.

What is the Milky Way?

A galaxy is a huge group of billions of stars held together in space. Our Sun belongs to a galaxy called the Milky Way. On a dark night you can sometimes see a pale, milky band across the sky. That glow is light from millions of stars in our galaxy. The Milky Way has more than 100 billion stars!

Are there other galaxies?

Yes! Scientists have discovered billions of other galaxies in the universe. Each galaxy contains billions of stars. Some galaxies are spiral-shaped like pinwheels. Others are round or have no clear shape. Our Milky Way is a spiral galaxy with curving arms of stars.

Worked examples

  1. 1. Is the Sun a planet or a star?

    1. The Sun makes its own light and heat.
    2. Planets do not make light; they only reflect light from stars.
    3. The Sun is a giant ball of burning gas.
    4. So the Sun is a star, not a planet.

  2. 2. Why does the Sun look bigger than other stars?

    1. The Sun is our closest star.
    2. It is about 150 million kilometres from Earth.
    3. Other stars are trillions of kilometres away.
    4. Objects look smaller when they are farther away.
    5. So the Sun looks bigger because it is much closer.

  3. 3. What is the name of our galaxy?

    1. A galaxy is a huge group of billions of stars.
    2. Our Sun is part of a galaxy.
    3. Our galaxy is called the Milky Way.
    4. The Milky Way has over 100 billion stars in it.

Try it yourself

On a clear night you see a faint band of light across the sky. What are you looking at?

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