Our Star

The Sun provides an excellent astrophysical "laboratory" as it is a star like other stars -- only much closer. In many ways it is a "Rosetta Stone" of astronomy because what we learn from it provides a key to the understanding of much of cosmic physics. The sun is also the ultimate source of all of the life-giving energy on earth. The variability and activity of this star are responsible for terrestrial effects from the northern lights to climatic change. These matters are important for us to understand.