Believe it or not, the Sun is just a star , just like those we see twinkling at night. The Sun, however, is so much closer to us on Earth that it looks much bigger, much brighter, and we can even feel heat coming from it.
Scientists know great deal about the stars that shine at night.
Compared to these other stars, the Sun is actually quite average. Many of the stars that appear so small in the night sky are actually much bigger than our Sun. Others, however, are quite tiny in comparison. Some are much hotter, and some are so cool and dim we can barely see them. The Sun is made of hot gases , containing many of the same materials we find here on the Earth.