The Sun: A Giant or a Dwarf?

The sun is a massive star, much bigger than Earth. It is so large that over a million Earths could fit inside it. Despite its size, the sun is often called a "dwarf" star. This might sound odd, but there's a reason behind it. Stars are classified based on their size, brightness, and temperature. The sun falls into the category of G-type main-sequence stars, specifically a G2V star. The "V" in this classification indicates that it is a dwarf star. This term was coined by a Danish astronomer who noticed that some stars were much brighter and larger than others. The brighter ones were called "giants, " and the dimmer, smaller ones were called "dwarfs. " The "G" in G-type stars stands for yellow, which refers to the star's temperature range. The sun's surface temperature is around 9, 980 degrees Fahrenheit. However, calling the sun yellow is not entirely accurate. The sun emits all colors, making its actual color white. It only appears yellow from Earth because of how our atmosphere scatters light.G-type stars vary in size and mass. They can range from 90% to 110% the mass of the sun. The sun is currently in its main sequence phase, where it fuses hydrogen into helium, releasing enormous amounts of energy. The color of main-sequence stars is determined by their mass. Less massive stars are orange or red, while more massive ones are blue. The sun is slowly changing as it ages. It has grown about 10% larger since it started on the main sequence and will continue to grow. However, it will still be considered a dwarf star until its final stages of life. In about 5 billion years, the sun will run out of hydrogen fuel and swell into a red giant. At this point, it will engulf the orbits of Venus and possibly Earth, turning red in color.