The Sun Makes Up 99.8% of the Solar System’s Mass

The Sun isn’t just the center of the solar system—it is the solar system, in terms of mass.

1. Immense Size

• The Sun contains about 99.8% of the total mass of the entire solar system.

• That includes all the planets, moons, comets, asteroids, and dust combined.

2. Just How Big Is It?

• The Sun’s mass is approximately 1.989 × 10³⁰ kilograms.

• You could fit over 1 million Earths inside its volume.

• It has 333,000 times the mass of Earth.

3. Why It Matters

• The Sun’s gravitational pull holds the solar system together.

• Its mass controls the orbits of all the planets, including Earth.

• It generates energy through nuclear fusion, powering life on Earth.

4. What’s in the Remaining 0.2%?

• That fraction includes:

  • Planets (Jupiter is the biggest, with about 0.1%)

  • Moons

  • Asteroids

  • Comets

  • Interplanetary dust and gas

5. Jupiter Is the Runner-Up

• Jupiter contains more than twice the mass of all other planets combined, but it’s still only ~0.1% of the solar system’s total mass.

In short: The Sun doesn’t just light up the solar system—it dominates it in every physical sense. Its mass, energy, and gravity are the foundations of everything that orbits it.