![]() The differential rotation of the sun helps contribute to sunspots, magnetic fields, and radiation. It does not rotate at a constant rate like solid Earth. T herefore, while the sun does indeed rotate on its axis, different parts of the sun rotate at different speeds. In exactly the same way, we can use equation (1) to infer the mass of the Milky Way from the velocity of the Suns orbit about the center of the Milky Way. However, you should remember that the sun is unlike the Earth. Like the Milky Way, the solar system is in differential rotation: the inner planets orbit faster than the outer planets. The movement of the sun may seem a little chaotic, especially considering the fact that our entire planet rotates on its axis at a constant speed. Scientists use the sunspots to see movement because inner currents carry plasma from inner layers of the sun to the outer layers and contribute to the magnetic fields and the rotations. Scientists believe that the movement of the inner layers and radiation moving towards the outer layers contributes to its magnetic fields. ![]() Sunspots, or darker, colder spots on the sun, are created through the sun’s magnetic field. Scientists tend to measure the rotation of the sun by looking at its sunspots. Moreover, the inner layer also spins faster than the outer, gaseous layers. Scientists claim that the innermost layers of the sun do spin like a solid object. The innermost parts of the sun also spin differently than the outer layers. In fact, scientists divide the sun into four general sections and each section spins at a different speed. The differing speeds of rotation is called differential rotation, meaning different parts rotate at different speeds. That means the sun’s poles take 11 more days to rotate around the sun’s axis than its equator. Near the north and south poles, the sun rotates once every 36 days. As you move towards the sun’s poles, the rotation speed slows. The gasses and plasma near the sun’s equator rotate around the sun’s axis every 25 days. Since it is composed of gas and plasma, the gasses and plasma rotate at different speeds depending on where they are located on the sun. The suns rotation period is shorter at the equator and lengthens as you move away from the equator, towards the poles, meaning the sun rotates faster at its equator. The sun is different because it does not all rotate at the same time. Our equator spins also spins at the exact same rate time as our poles. This means our north and south pole spin at the same time and at the exact same speed. When we think of Earth, we know that all parts of the earth rotate around the axis simultaneously, or at the same time. ![]() Therefore, it is not solid or rigid rock like planets or moons. It is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. Unlike our Earth, the sun is a large ball of plasma and gas. ![]() Just as the Earth rotates, you may wonder– does the the sun rotate too? The sun does indeed rotate, but it does not rotate like the Earth or other solid objects like our planet. ![]()
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