Course Sample for Our Everyday Astronomy Homeschool Science Curriculum
Just how big is the sun? I am glad you asked. The diameter of the sun is 865,000 miles (or 1,392,000 km) wide. It would take 110 million earths to fill the sun. It is so big that 110 earths would fit across the diameter of the sun!
I know, I know, I can hear you now, “That is great, Professor Light. All those big numbers that I can barely say. Those numbers are so big that I can’t even wrap my brain around how big they are!”
I have a great way for you to see how big the sun is. On a piece of paper, draw a dot that is about 2 millimeters big. Then, I want you to go to the garage and get your brother’s basketball, bring it into the house, and set it next to the tiny dot you made. This will help you see the difference in size between the earth (your dot) and the sun (the basketball).
When scientists talk about the size of things, they use words like circumference and diameter. These are mathematical terms that are used when we measure circles or spheres. It is important for you to understand how each word can help you describe how big or small something is.
A diameter is a straight line segment that passes through a circle.
An at-home example: If you had an orange, poke a stick through it. Mark the stick at the points where the edge of the orange is and pull it out. If you were to measure the distance between the lines on the stick, you would find out the diameter of the orange.
Circumference is the linear distance around a circular object.
An at-home example: Grab that orange again and a piece of string. Hold the string as you wrap it around the orange one time. Mark the string where it meets together. Stretch the string out and measure the length to the mark. That is the circumference of your orange.
Today’s Activity:
Spend some time today measuring the diameter and circumference of edible objects around your house. Try a slice of banana, an apple, an orange, or a slice of salami. What other circular objects can you find to measure?
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