Sun earth and the

moon

The solar system

The Solar System[b] is the gravitationally bound system of the Sun and the objects
that orbit it, either directly or indirectly. [c] Of the objects that orbit the Sun directly,
the largest are the eight planets,[d] with the remainder being smaller objects,
the dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies. Of the objects that orbit
the Sun indirectly—the natural satellites—two are larger than the smallest
planet, Mercury.[e]

The Solar System formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud. The
vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun, with the majority of the remaining mass contained in Jupiter. The four
smaller inner system planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, are terrestrial planets, being primarily composed of rock
and metal. The four outer system planets are giant planets, being substantially more massive than the terrestrials. The two
largest planets, Jupiter and Saturn, are gas giants, being composed mainly of hydrogen and helium; the two outermost
planets, Uranus and Neptune, are ice giants, being composed mostly of substances with relatively high melting points
compared with hydrogen and helium, called volatiles, such as water, ammonia and methane. All eight planets have almost
circular orbits that lie within a nearly flat disc called the ecliptic.
The Solar System also contains smaller objects.[f] The asteroid belt, which lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter,
mostly contains objects composed, like the terrestrial planets, of rock and metal. Beyond Neptune's orbit lie the Kuiper
belt and scattered disc, which are populations of trans-Neptunian objects composed mostly of ices, and beyond them a
newly discovered population of sednoids. Within these populations, some objects are large enough to have rounded under
their own gravity, though there is considerable debate as to how many there will prove to be. [9][10] Such objects are
categorized as dwarf planets. The only certain dwarf planet is Pluto, with another trans-Neptunian object, Eris, expected to
be, and the asteroid Ceres at least close to being a dwarf planet.[f] In addition to these two regions, various other small-
body populations, including comets, centaurs and interplanetary dust clouds, freely travel between regions. Six of the
planets, the six largest possible dwarf planets, and many of the smaller bodies are orbited by natural satellites, usually
termed "moons" after the Moon. Each of the outer planets is encircled by planetary rings of dust and other small objects.

The solar wind, a stream of charged particles flowing outwards from the Sun, creates a bubble-like region in the interstellar
medium known as the heliosphere. The heliopause is the point at which pressure from the solar wind is equal to the opposing
pressure of the interstellar medium; it extends out to the edge of the scattered disc. The Oort cloud, which is thought to be
the source for long-period comets, may also exist at a distance roughly a thousand times further than the heliosphere. The
Solar System is located 26,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way galaxy in the Orion Arm, which contains most
of the visible stars in the night sky. The nearest stars are within the so-called Local Bubble, with the closest Proxima
Centauri at 4.25 light-years.

Sun
The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect sphere of hot plasma,[18][19] heated
to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core, radiating the energy mainly as visible light, ultraviolet light,
and infrared radiation. It is by far the most important source of energy for life on Earth. Its diameter is about 1.39 million
kilometres (864,000 miles), or 109 times that of Earth. Its mass is about 330,000 times that of Earth; it accounts for about
99.86% of the total mass of the Solar System.[20] Roughly three quarters of the Sun's mass consists of hydrogen (~73%); the
rest is mostly helium (~25%), with much smaller quantities of heavier elements,
including oxygen, carbon, neon and iron.[21]

The Sun is a G-type main-sequence star (G2V) based on its spectral class. As such, it is informally and not completely
accurately referred to as a yellow dwarf (its light is closer to white than yellow). It formed approximately
4.6 billion[a][14][22] years ago from the gravitational collapse of matter within a region of a large molecular cloud. Most of
this matter gathered in the center, whereas the rest flattened into an orbiting disk that became the Solar System. The
central mass became so hot and dense that it eventually initiated nuclear fusion in its core. It is thought that almost all
stars form by this process.

The Sun's core fuses about 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium every second, converting 4 million tons of matter into
energy every second as a result. This energy, which can take between 10,000 and 170,000 years to escape the core, is the
source of the Sun's light and heat. When hydrogen fusion in its core has diminished to the point at which the Sun is no
longer in hydrostatic equilibrium, its core will undergo a marked increase in density and temperature while its outer layers
expand, eventually transforming the Sun into a red giant. It is calculated that the Sun will become sufficiently large to
engulf the current orbits of Mercury and Venus, and render Earth uninhabitable – but not for about five billion years. After
this, it will shed its outer layers and become a dense type of cooling star known as a white dwarf, and no longer produce
energy by fusion, but still glow and give off heat from its previous fusion.

The enormous effect of the Sun on Earth has been recognized since prehistoric times. The Sun was thought of by some
cultures as a deity. The synodic rotation of Earth and its orbit around the Sun are the basis of solar calendars, one of which
is the Gregorian calendar, the predominant calendar in use today.
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to
harbour and support life. About 29.2% of Earth's surface is land consisting of
continents and islands. The remaining 70.8% is covered with water, mostly by
oceans, seas, gulfs, and other salt-water bodies, but also by lakes, rivers, and other
freshwater, which together constitute the hydrosphere. Much of Earth's polar
regions are covered in ice. Earth's outer layer is divided into several rigid tectonic
plates that migrate across the surface over many millions of years, while its interior
remains active with a solid iron inner core, a liquid outer core that
generates Earth's magnetic field, and a convective mantle that drives plate
tectonics.

Earth's atmosphere consists mostly of nitrogen and oxygen. More solar energy is received by tropical regions than polar
regions and is redistributed by atmospheric and ocean circulation. Greenhouse gases also play an important role in
regulating the surface temperature. A region's climate is not only determined by latitude, but also by elevation and
proximity to moderating oceans, among other factors. Severe weather, such as tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, and
heatwaves, occurs in most areas and greatly impacts life.

Earth's gravity interacts with other objects in space, especially the Moon, which is Earth's only natural satellite. Earth orbits
around the Sun in about 365.25 days. Earth's axis of rotation is tilted with respect to its orbital plane, producing seasons on
Earth. The gravitational interaction between Earth and the Moon causes tides, stabilizes Earth's orientation on its axis,
and gradually slows its rotation. Earth is the densest planet in the Solar System and the largest and most massive of the
four rocky planets.

According to radiometric dating estimation and other evidence, Earth formed over 4.5 billion years ago. Within the first
billion years of Earth's history, life appeared in the oceans and began to affect Earth's atmosphere and surface, leading to
the proliferation of anaerobic and, later, aerobic organisms. Some geological evidence indicates that life may have arisen
as early as 4.1 billion years ago. Since then, the combination of Earth's distance from the Sun, physical properties,
and geological history have allowed life to evolve and thrive. In the history of life on Earth, biodiversity has gone through
long periods of expansion, occasionally punctuated by mass extinctions. Over 99% of all species that ever lived on Earth are
extinct. Almost 8 billion humans live on Earth and depend on its biosphere and natural resources for their survival.
Humans increasingly impact Earth's surface, hydrology, atmospheric processes, and other life. Earth is the
third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbour and support life. About 29.2% of Earth's
surface is land consisting of continents and islands. The remaining 70.8% is covered with water, mostly by oceans,
seas, gulfs, and other salt-water bodies, but also by lakes, rivers, and other freshwater, which together constitute
the hydrosphere. Much of Earth's polar regions are covered in ice. Earth's outer layer is divided into several rigid tectonic
plates that migrate across the surface over many millions of years, while its interior remains active with a solid iron inner
core, a liquid outer core that generates Earth's magnetic field, and a convective mantle that drives plate tectonics.

Earth's atmosphere consists mostly of nitrogen and oxygen. More solar energy is received by tropical regions than polar
regions and is redistributed by atmospheric and ocean circulation. Greenhouse gases also play an important role in
regulating the surface temperature. A region's climate is not only determined by latitude, but also by elevation and
proximity to moderating oceans, among other factors. Severe weather, such as tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, and
heatwaves, occurs in most areas and greatly impacts life.

Earth's gravity interacts with other objects in space, especially the Moon, which is Earth's only natural satellite. Earth orbits
around the Sun in about 365.25 days. Earth's axis of rotation is tilted with respect to its orbital plane, producing seasons on
Earth. The gravitational interaction between Earth and the Moon causes tides, stabilizes Earth's orientation on its axis,
and gradually slows its rotation. Earth is the densest planet in the Solar System and the largest and most massive of the
four rocky planets.
According to radiometric dating estimation and other evidence, Earth formed over 4.5 billion years
ago. Within the first billion years of Earth's history, life appeared in the oceans and began to affect
Earth's atmosphere and surface, leading to the proliferation of anaerobic and, later, aerobic
organisms. Some geological evidence indicates that life may have arisen as early as 4.1 billion years
ago. Since then, the combination of Earth's distance from the Sun, physical properties,
and geological history have allowed life to evolve and thrive. In the history of life on
Earth, biodiversity has gone through long periods of expansion, occasionally punctuated by mass
extinctions. Over 99% of all species that ever lived on Earth are extinct. Almost 8 billion humans live
on Earth and depend on its biosphere and natural resources for their survival. Humans increasingly
impact Earth's surface, hydrology, atmospheric processes, and other life

Moon

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. At about one-quarter the diameter
of Earth (comparable to the width of Australia),[15] it is the largest natural
satellite in the Solar System relative to the size of its planet,[f] the fifth largest
satellite in the Solar System overall, and is larger than any known dwarf
planet. Orbiting Earth at an average distance of 384,400 km
(238,900 mi),[16] or about 30 times Earth's diameter, its gravitational
influence slightly lengthens Earth's day and is the main driver of Earth's tides.
The Moon is classified as a planetary-mass object and
a differentiated rocky body, and lacks any
significant atmosphere, hydrosphere, or magnetic field. Its surface gravity is
about one-sixth of Earth's (0.1654 g); Jupiter's moon Io is the only satellite in
the Solar System known to have a higher surface gravity and density.

The Moon's orbit around Earth has a sidereal period of 27.3 days. During
each synodic period of 29.5 days, the amount of visible surface illuminated by
the Sun varies from none up to 100%, resulting in lunar phases that form the
basis for the months of a lunar calendar. The Moon is tidally locked to Earth,
which means that the length of a full rotation of the Moon on its own axis
causes its same side (the near side) to always face Earth, and the somewhat
longer lunar day is the same as the synodic period. That said, 59% of the total
lunar surface can be seen from Earth through shifts in perspective due
to libration.[17]

The most widely accepted origin explanation posits that the Moon formed
about 4.51 billion years ago, not long after Earth, out of the debris from
a giant impact between the planet and a hypothesized Mars-sized body
called Theia. It then receded to a wider orbit because of tidal interaction with
the Earth. The near side of the Moon is marked by dark
volcanic maria ("seas"), which fill the spaces between bright ancient crustal
highlands and prominent impact craters. Most of the large impact basins and
mare surfaces were in place by the end of the Imbrian period, some three
billion years ago. The lunar surface is relatively non-reflective, with
a reflectance just slightly brighter than that of worn asphalt. However,
because it has a large angular diameter, the full moon is the brightest
celestial object in the night sky. The Moon's apparent size is nearly the same
as that of the Sun, allowing it to cover the Sun almost completely during a
total solar eclipse.

Both the Moon's prominence in the earthly sky and its regular cycle of phases
have provided cultural references and influences for human societies
throughout history. Such influences can be found in language, calendar
systems, art, and mythology. The first artificial object to reach the Moon was
the Soviet Union's Luna 2 uncrewed spacecraft in 1959; this was followed by
the first successful soft landing by Luna 9 in 1966. The only human lunar
missions to date have been those of the United States' Apollo program,
which landed twelve men on the surface between 1969 and 1972. These and
later uncrewed missions returned lunar rocks that have been used to develop
a detailed geological understanding of the Moon's origins, internal structure,
and subsequent history.

Phases of the moon

The eight phases of the Moon in order are:

• new Moon.
• waxing crescent Moon.
• first quarter Moon.
• waxing gibbous Moon.
• full Moon.
• waning gibbous Moon.
• last quarter Moon.
• waning crescent Moon.
Eclipses

An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical

object or spacecraft is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of
another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer. This
alignment of three celestial objects is known as a syzygy.[1] Apart from syzygy,
the term eclipse is also used when a spacecraft reaches a position where it
can observe two celestial bodies so aligned. An eclipse is the result of either
an occultation (completely hidden) or a transit (partially hidden).

The term eclipse is most often used to describe either a solar eclipse, when
the Moon's shadow crosses the Earth's surface, or a lunar eclipse, when the
Moon moves into the Earth's shadow. However, it can also refer to such
events beyond the Earth–Moon system: for example, a planet moving into
the shadow cast by one of its moons, a moon passing into the shadow cast by
its host planet, or a moon passing into the shadow of another moon. A binary
star system can also produce eclipses if the plane of the orbit of its
constituent stars intersects the observer's position.

For the special cases of solar and lunar eclipses, these only happen during an
"eclipse season", the two times of each year when the plane of the Earth's
orbit around the Sun crosses with the plane of the Moon's orbit around the
Earth when that line of intersecting planes points near the Sun. The type of
solar eclipse that happens during each season (whether total, annular,
hybrid, or partial) depends on apparent sizes of the Sun and Moon. If the
orbit of the Earth around the Sun, and the Moon's orbit around the Earth
were both in the same plane with each other, then eclipses would happen
each and every month. There would be a lunar eclipse at every full moon, and
a solar eclipse at every new moon. And if both orbits were perfectly circular,
then each solar eclipse would be the same type every month. It is because of
the non-planar and non-circular differences that eclipses are not a common
event. Lunar eclipses can be viewed from the entire nightside half of the
Earth. But solar eclipses, particularly total eclipses occurring at any one
particular point on the Earth's surface, are very rare events that can be many
decades apart.