The Sun dominates our lives by defining our day, but how much do you know and understand about it? This free course will help you to explore the workings of what, from Earth, appears to be the brightest star in our universe by looking at its structure and the main processes taking place within it. You will also examine the phenomenon of sun spots.

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge of the electromagnetic spectrum and how it is used to infer properties of sources of radiation
• demonstrate knowledge of the range of sizes, distances and motions of objects in the Universe and how they can be measured
• demonstrate knowledge of the structure of, and the main processes operating in, the Sun
• comprehend concepts lying well outside everyday experience, including those that involve very large and very small distances, times, temperatures and energies, and those that are non-intuitive.