It is not uncommon to find the words Sun and star being used like they are interchangeable. However, in spite of this, these words are not the same. While there is some overlap between the two, they are by no means the same thing. In this article, we ask, are all stars suns?
Knowing the difference between stars and the Sun is important because you can avoid mixing them up. You can instead ensure that you are always using them correctly.
While there is some nuance to understanding the definition of suns and stars, there is a simple way to distinguish them.
The Sun is actually a star. However, it is the only star that is given that name. While we call our star the Sun other stars are not called suns. In other words, the name that we give the star in our solar system is the Sun.
However, this is only the short answer. There is much more to explore if you want to understand the reason behind this definition.
So, if you want to know everything you need about suns and stars, this guide will give you all the information you need, so keep reading!
The Sun As A Star
Sun is the word that is used to describe the star located in the middle of our Solar System. This is the same star that will rise in the east every morning. It is the sun that provides our planet with heat. The Sun is a star because it fuses hydrogen to helium in its core. It is this process that provides us with heat and light.
But what can confuse some people is that not every star is a sun. If we were to use the word sun to describe any other stars, that would likely be incorrect. So what is the difference, and why are they confused so often?
One of the main cultural reasons for suns and stars getting conflated is science fiction movies and media. These movies often refer to a local star as a sun, which has led to people confusing the phrase star for sun.
This can be seen by some as quite nitpicky, especially when looking at fictional media. If you were to refer to another solar system’s star as a sun, then this is an understandable mistake. However, it is technically incorrect.
This difference is important because the Sun refers to a specific star. So when we want to talk about its features or a certain aspect, we want to avoid confusing it with any other stars.
There has actually been some debate around changing the definition and the meaning of the word sun. This would instead refer to a star that has a planet that has habitable conditions. By habitable, we are talking about by humans.
However, this has not gained a lot of traction since we only know of one planet that has this being ours. Because of this, expanding the definition of the word sun is unnecessary when we are not talking about fiction.
Comparing Our Sun To Other Stars
Compared to other stars, our sun is quite average. It can be described as a yellow main sequence star and somewhere around the middle of its lifespan. When looking at the size of other stars, it is about somewhere in the middle. Our star is very average.
Also, compared to other stars, it is not part of a multi-star system. Most stars occur in multi-star systems.
We can recognize millions of stars that are quite similar to our sun. However, they tend to have some different characteristics that set them apart.
One of the best ways to learn about our Sun compared to other stars is to look at some recognizable stars that can actually be witnessed from Earth.
First, there is Polaris which is more commonly known as the north star. This is because it is currently positioned above the North Pole. Then we can look at Betelgeuse which is in the Orion constellation. It is quite recognizable because of the slightly red tint it has.
There is also Vega which is a brighter star that is part of the Summer triangle asterism. It is also in the Lyra constellation.
And finally, we will also be looking at Alpha Centauri A. It is the biggest star in the Alpha Centauri system, which is the closest star system to Earth’s solar system.
The Sun is the standard for looking at different stars when comparing them. For example Betelgeuse has a mass of 16.5 solar masses. This is compared to our Sun that has a mass of 1 solar mass.
We can see that Alpha Centauri A is quite similar to our sun, with a slightly higher mass, radius, temperature and age. However, its rotation is lower is 22 days instead of 25.
Polaris is 70 million years old compared to the 4.6 billion years old of the Sun. Betelgeuse is the youngest being only 8 million years old. However, its rotation also takes 36 years.
While Betelgeuse is only 8 million years old, it is already nearing the end of its life. This is because of its size. Some recent studies have found that it may move to supernova stage in our lifetime. The Sun will live for another 5 billion years.
At this stage, you may wonder how far stars are from us. If so, you can read our article called How Far Away Are Stars.
The Definition Of A Star
This guide will have hopefully educated you on why the Sun is not the same as any other star. However, we have not dedicated much energy to the actual definition of a star. Also, we haven’t discussed why the Sun fits in this category.
Stars are huge spheres of plasma that are held together by their own gravity. At the core of stars hydrogen is fused to helium. A body must have sustained nuclear fusion in its core to be considered a star.
The process of nuclear fusion releases copious amounts of energy. The inward force of gravity balances the outward pressure of this radiation.
The Sun has sustained fusion in its core. It is also in at a stable period in its life. During this stage, it is called a main sequence star.
An interesting fact is that takes a long time for light leave the Sun. It can take 100,000 years for the energy produced in the core to leave the Sun’s surface as light.
While there are many stars in the universe, we do not know how many there are. However, we can estimate it is close to 200 billion trillion in the universe we can observe. There are likely more than this, but this is how many are in our corner of space.
Summary
Hopefully, this guide has helped distinguish between the Sun and stars. You now know how to use these terms correctly.
It is common to confuse these words because of cultural factors. However, it is useful to know how to understand and use them.
If you would like to discover where the energy comes from for stars to shine you may like How Do Stars Shine.
Since then, I’ve been an avid stargazer and astronomer, and love nothing more than spending my time charting stars, observing planets, and finding constellations.
This is why I decided to start Telescope Guru. I only wish to share this fun pastime with the world. With this site, I hope to answer all of your questions relating to astronomy, telescopes, and stargazing.
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