Let's pretend the Sun went out. This is only pretend. The Sun will not just go away. Scientists have no reason to think it will.

The Sun has shone for billions of years. It will shine for about 5 billion more years. This is as of November 2026.

The Sun is a star. It is a giant, glowing ball of hot gas. It is much bigger than any planet. It would take almost 1,000 Jupiters to fill it up.

The Sun is far away. It is about 93 million miles from Earth. This is as of November 2026. Earth is the third planet from the Sun.

The Sun gives Earth its light and its warmth. Pretend it went out. Earth would not get that light and warmth from it.

Plants take in sunlight. They turn that light into food. This is called photosynthesis.

The Moon does not make its own light. It shines because sunlight lights it up. The light bounces off its surface.

The Sun pulls on Earth and the other planets. This pull is its gravity. It keeps them circling around the Sun.

Earth has liquid water on its surface. No other planet in our solar system does.

Look at the Moon or a green plant. Think of the Sun. Moonlight and plant food both come from sunlight.

Words to know

• pretend: make-believe
• photosynthesis: plants making food
• gravity: a pulling force
• Jupiters: big planets