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Question
Hi, I was wondering what the sun circles around & this isn't homework (I have been out of school for a long time)
Hello.
The Sun (as well as the solar system) orbits the central massive core of the Milky Way galaxy. The Sun moves around the galaxy at about 220 km/ s (137 miles per second) at a distance of about 30,000 light years from the galactic center.
At this rate of motion, it will take roughly 2.8 x 10^8 years (280 million years) to make one revolution - e.g. returning to the same position (roughly) it is now.
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Answers by Expert:
Philip Stahl
Expertise
I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.
Experience
Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.
Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union
Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.
Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics
Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research
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