❓ why

Why is the Sun considered to be in the middle of the Solar System?

Quick Answer

The Sun contains about 99.8% of the Solar System's total mass, so its gravity dominates the motion of everything else. That makes it the natural centre of the system.

The Full Story

The Sun is not exactly a fixed anchor, but it dominates the Solar System gravitationally because it holds almost all the mass. About 99.8% of the Solar System's mass is in the Sun, leaving only a tiny fraction for planets, moons, asteroids and comets. Because gravity depends on mass, the planets orbit the Sun rather than one another. The Solar System is therefore organised around the Sun's huge gravitational pull. Even the Sun itself moves slightly in response to the planets, but its mass is so overwhelming that it remains the system's centre of mass in practice.

Key Facts

1.The Sun contains about 99.8% of the Solar System's mass
2.The planets hold only a tiny fraction of the total mass
3.The Solar System formed about 4.6 billion years ago

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"The Sun dominates the Solar System almost completely — here’s the number!"

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