Our solar system consists of various bodies of different sizes which orbit the sun. The following view of the solar system shows the sun and the planets with their relative sizes. The sun , which is actually just an ordinary star, lies at the center of our solar system. Besides the obvious effects the sun has on our lives, solar activity also contributes to weather patterns on Earth. For instance, between the years 1640 and 1710, there were almost no sunspots on the surface of the sun.
Solar eclipses are particularly fascinating to watch.
During a solar eclipse, the moon, the Earth, and the sun line up so that the moon lies between the sun and Earth. From our point of view on Earth, the sun is blocked completely by the moon for a few minutes. Another beautiful sight visible from Earth are the aurorae, or northern lights. These brightly colored bands usually appear in the sky in locations near the north and south poles. The bright colors occur when high-energy particles from the sun are swept into our atmosphere and make the atoms there glow.