Question #35 – Does the Sun rotate?

Answer:

Yes, the Sun does rotate, but not in the same way the Earth rotates. Regions of the Sun spin at different speeds because the Sun is a gas, not a solid body. The equator rotates once every 24 days, while the rotation takes 35 days at the poles. Scientists can measure this by watching sun spots and other solar features move across the Sun.

Read "Earth's Sun: Facts About the Sun's Age, Size and History" on Space.com for more information about our closest star.

The Sun with giant sunspots, as seen on October 23, 2014
Image credit: NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory