The Sun is our stellar powerhouse, pumping out a whopping 10²⁶ J of energy every second! But where does it get all this energy from? 🤔

• Big Bang 💥
  • This cosmic explosion gave birth to primordial hydrogen.
• Gravitational Collapse 💨
  • Clouds of this hydrogen got squished together due to gravity.
  • This led to the magic of fusion processes.
• Supernovae 🌌
  • Some of the earliest stars went BOOM in spectacular explosions!
  • This released even more hydrogen.
• Stellar Evolution 🌟➡️🔴
  • Over time, stars mature and produce elements heavier than hydrogen.
  • Fun Fact: This star stuff is the reason you and I are here! Yep, you're made of star material! 🌠

• By the 20th century, scientists were like: "Where is the Sun getting all its energy?"

  • One guess: Gravitational collapse. But according to this, our Sun would only be 20 million years old.
  • Problem? Earth's geological clues whispered that it's at least 10 times older.

• Sir Arthur Eddington's Aha! Moment (1920s)

  • He theorized that the center of the Sun was like a pressure cooker, both hot and pressurized enough for nuclear fusion.
  • Fast forward to now: Our Sun will likely shine in its current state for around 10 billion years. And guess what? It's having its mid-life crisis—it's almost halfway through!