I’m Proud of You, Sun

If you find yourself internally or externally cursing the sun, which is common this time of the year in Texas, stop right there.  This beautiful, shining beacon is truly extraordinary and deserves a little blog space.  Here are some facts that are both enlightening and partially terrifying.

• Yes, the sun gives us the gift of life, light, climates, vitamin D, etc.  Wow.
• Currently, about a million earths could fit into the sun.  And it will expand even further.  If the solar system goes undisrupted, the sun will eventually consume the earth before shrinking down to about the size of the earth.  It will also engulf Mercury and Venus as appetizers.
• Well, at least the sun is just sort of sitting there, right?  Wrong.  It is actually cruising around the galaxy at a healthy 450,000 miles per hour.  Since we are circling that bad boy, we are actually going pretty fast as well.
• If the sun were to “burn out,” we wouldn't find out about it for about eight minutes.  Just long enough to go locate some batteries.
• If it were possible for me to stand on the sun, at 200 pounds on earth, I would weigh about 5,500 pounds. 
• The sun is actually white, but appears yellow because of the earth’s atmosphere.

While it is not important to know random facts about the sun, it is important to broaden your horizons, diversify your base of knowledge, and never stop learning.  Perhaps you might even discover a new passion and be able to connect with more people on this dismal planet.  So, next time you want to stop the fun at some party, rattle off these facts.  Then you, like the sun, will be a big star.

Thomas Kelliher

Photo Credit: Rusty Russ via Compfight cc