Facts About Stars

1) Why Are Polar Regions Called the lands of the Midnight Sun?

• In most places on Earth, the Sun is visible during the daytime only.
• But the polar regions are the only places on Earth where the Sun is visible throughout the day during summers.
• That means there is no sunset or sunrise.

 

2) Why Does the Sun Rise in the Day and Disappear at Night?

• The Sun is steady in the sky.

• As the Earth spins on its axis, only one-half receives sunlight at a time.
• During this time, the other half of the Earth receives no sunlight; hence it's nighttime in the other half.
• This phenomenon keeps repeating every 24 hours, leading to day and night.
• When a part is facing towards the Sun, it is morning time there.

 

3) What Is a Solar Eclipse? What Happens to the Sun During a Solar Eclipse?

• An eclipse is a celestial phenomenon.
• During a solar eclipse, the Moon blocks the light from the Sun while moving around the Earth. The Moon comes in between the Sun and the Earth.
• Due to this, Sun is not visible for a particular period of time.

 

4) What Makes the Sun So Hot and Bright?

• The nuclear fusion reactions that constantly occur on the Sun make it hot and bright.
• This phenomenon converts hydrogen into helium and leads to the production of an enormous amount of energy,

 

5) Is the Sun Yellow in Colour? Explain.

• The sunlight, when it travels through the layers of gases in the atmosphere, gets scattered.
• Only the yellow light reaches Earth and is visible to us, which makes the Sun appear yellow.
• Instead, the Sun is white, which can be seen from space.

 

6) Why Knowing the Constellations Was Important During Old Times?

• In the olden days, tracking stars' locations in the night sky was used to identify the directions.
• This is now replaced by using a compass.