Understanding Our Sun

Here at CC Sunscreens, our specialty is providing protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays, which are particularly powerful in this part of Arizona. Not only do our window screens and patio shades reduce solar gain on our patios and homes, but they block out 90 percent of the sun’s UV rays, reducing wear on our skin as well as our belongings. We revolve around it as we rotate here on earth. Our sun is as mysterious as it is powerful, providing just the right amount of light and heat to sustain life here on planet earth. It’s the center of our solar system, but how much do we really know about the sun? 

So, What is the Sun Anyway?!

It rises and sets and gets warmer as the days grow longer and reach into Spring and Summer, but what is this mysterious bright orb in the sky which brings light and heat? 

Technically the Sun is a huge ball of hydrogen and helium, which is held together by its own gravity.However, like an onion, the Sun has several regions from the interior to the exterior, starting at the center with the core and expanding into a radiative zone, and the convection zone. However, once we reach the surface the sun is still barely fully accounted for. Past the surface or photosphere, the sun radiates the chromosphere, followed by a transition zone, and then the corona which is the Sun’s expansive outer atmosphere. Around all of this is a huge magnetic “bubble” called the heliosphere which extends beyond the orbit of the planets in our solar system. This means that we are on earth, as is our entire solar system in the Sun’s atmosphere! 

How Hot is the Sun?

Here in the Sonoran Desert temperatures this time of year average highs around 86 degrees Fahrenheit and lows around 56 degrees as the earth rotates closer to the sun. However, in the core, the hottest and most central part of the sun– where hydrogen is fused to form helium temperatures top 27 million °F (15 million °C) and it’s about 86,000 miles (138,000 kilometers) thick—which makes it 109 times wider than Earth! 

A Giant Sun in an Even Larger Universe

The sun is such a big deal to us here on earth though in effect it is just one star in a large galaxy full of stars with their own planets which all have their own moves. Looking at the size, strength, and heat of the sun it’s difficult not to begin to wonder what else is out there. As we install sunscreens and patio shades to help keep you and your home cool as well as protect the health of your skin, when your mind wanders to the sheer size of the universe, it’s difficult to not to imagine all the possibilities of life out there.

The Sun in Human History

Here on Earth it is estimated that the Sun has been around for 4.6 billion years, and while that is nearly countless lifetimes for us, many scientists jokingly refer to it as “middle-aged.” However, as you can imagine our star which supports life holds great significance to us and our ancestors throughout history. For instance, ancient cultures such as the Egyptian Ra, Hindu Surya, Japanese Amaterasu, and the Aztec Tonatiuh viewed the Sun as a deity rather than a star. Within these early past cultures Sun worship was common. It makes sense since the sun brings warmth, helps grow crops and can feel just amazing some days. Even today, we often base the year around the sun and its events as many still note the Winter Solstice as the shortest day of the year and Summer Solstice as the longest.

A Life Sustaining Star 

The power of the sun is captured and transformed into chlorophyll for grass which feeds plant loving animals, which may then feed meat loving animals and so the cycle of life continues as the sun supports our nutrients, our planet’s temperature and so much more we have yet to understand.

CC Sunscreens

Still as powerful as it is, the sun can be dangerous for your skin, increasing the risk of skin cancer and causing premature aging. At CC Sunscreens, we are here to help protect you. Contact us today for an estimate and find out what we can do for you!