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.