Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains the Sun

Hottest takes in the solar system? Here comes the sun on this explainer, where Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice break down solar flares, sun spots, and all the things you thought you knew about the star at the center of our solar system.
How big is the sun? We wrap our heads around the scale of our universe and the role of the sun on our planet. If the sun were magically plucked from its spot, how long would it take for us to realize it? What is “solar max”? How to do sunspots work? What about solar flares? Can they break our satellites? We break down the mechanics of the sun’s interior, the merry-go-round effect, and the flipping of the sun's poles. All that, plus, what are deep sea fishes’ experience with the sun?
About the prints that flank Neil in this video:
"Black Swan” & "White Swan" limited edition serigraph prints by Coast Salish artist Jane Kwatleematt Marston. For more information about this artist and her work, visit Inuit Gallery of Vancouver. inuit.com/
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About StarTalk:
Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up!
#StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson
0:00 - Introduction
2:15 - How Light Travels From The Sun
4:20 - How Big Is The Sun?
6:40 - What Are Sunspots?
8:45 - What Are Solar Flares?
10:18 - The Sun’s Cycles
12:57 - Closing Notes

[@nathanmays7926]

While looking at the night stars with my 4 yr old, I asked him what his favorite star is. He said the sun. I've never been so proud.

[@MegaSkills9]

You should be. 👍😉

[@Ascendancer]

"I´m serious man!!" - love you chuck

[@princeanyaoha7338]

😂

[@feretard6817]

Dude I'm not crazy lol

[@BisTLeiS]

100%

[@Robo311Star]

Sry to bring it here, but my heart weeps when a WM tells a BM he loves them. Now I love you, bro. This just made my day♥️🌹❤️🌟💕💞♥️💙🌷

[@lumpygasinavacuum8449]

@@feretard6817 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIvCl5x3ht10fqs

[@harlequin7735]

As much as I love guests on this show, best editions are with Neil and chuck. Period

[@uncharted7againblackking256]

Yep

[@ZuoKalp]

Animators, please, PLEASE, bless us with that joke in an animated format.

[@jsl151850b]

Ricky Gervaise has one of his stories animated. "The Swimming Elephant" {Dang! I can't find the version I liked!}

[@TuxedoMaskMusic]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqGWp4mCet57lbM

[@ZuoKalp]

@@TuxedoMaskMusic Thank you Vivi from FF9.

[@nobodyknows3180]

@@TuxedoMaskMusic Dude, that was great!

[@howardOKC]

@@TuxedoMaskMusic The champ!

[@fizyknaut8108]

Oh my goodness- the urge I feel to animate the fish. I have stuff planned, but I just might.

[@lautabott_uy]

do it

[@fizyknaut8108]

@@lautabott_uy That settles it- I'm speedrunning finishing my current project, and animating the fish.

[@MerxadMehr]

Yes, notify us here once you're done

[@gyozakeynsianism]

DO IT DO IT

[@killllllllllllllerrr]

Yes please! I need this.

[@heyesfan]

“That's amazing!” So is Neil. The volume of information he holds in his head and the beautiful way he expresses it to the rest of us.

[@pedroakjr2371]

The only channel on youtube I wish the videos were longer.

[@dahleno2014]

The only channel on KZbin I wish that the “funny” person wasn’t a part of

[@Goldengirl48]

@@dahleno2014 That "funny person" brings interest in a positive way to a somewhat dry subject. Take time to laugh it makes learning so much more interesting. I wish that there would have been many more teams of educators that present the facts with humor. I think a lot more kids would stay in school.

[@PauloOliveira-str]

These explainers should be globally mandatory! I know I'm repeating myself, but what can I say... it's a cycle.

[@superswade1]

I could watch this man talk about any topic all day. So cool and informative! Maybe I'll start learning something useful on KZbin now that I've stumbled upon StarTalk!

[@lumpygasinavacuum8449]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIvCl5x3ht10fqs

[@megaskod9343]

I hate that the show is this short! I could listen to Neil for hours at a time!

[@samarkoh]

Just wanted to say Neil . You and Chuck have brought my joy for science and curiosity of nature back with all your episodes . Ohh and Michio Kaku

[@nofarDcohen]

I love how animated Neil's explanations are💜 I can imagine crazy concepts thanks to that.

[@ericrobinson7184]

The fish out of water rant was one of Chucks best!

[@kigozimuhammad]

Challenge accepted . I will animate chuck’s voice on a star fish telling all the nemos in the ocean that

[@seantlewis376]

I hope you do it! And send it to Chuck so it gets an airing on StarTalk. You may even get him to voice it.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

High Chuck is even better than sober Chuck. "I'm not crazy" and that skin blemishes joke just prove it.

[@musingsbymarco5001]

Haha, just a little bit.

[@Morfeusm]

He is sometimes sober?

[@trayolphia5756]

I find it ironic that someone commented about this…and thinking immediately about how a couple of years ago I was high for the first time in ages, and was just sitting on the bed and had this sudden compulsion…and simply searched in KZbin “how does the sun work”…and spent the next week on a binge of space/astronomy documentaries

[@gyozakeynsianism]

@@trayolphia5756 See? You could be Chuck! Or maybe you are Chuck?? Or maybe we all are Chuck... 😯

[@HattieMaeGotMoves]

Mann I have a forever Crush on Neil Like I have On Michael Jackson..Once you hear him You just can't get enough.. Classic Make you feel inspired to want to learn have better understanding & an appreciation for LIFE🥳💐

[@user-bl1pw2th4l]

Yassssss!

[@StaticBlaster]

I like Chuck's humor and I love his shirt. "Science is true whether or not you like it" something like that.

[@marianoquiroga1976]

Love me some explainer videos, wishing them to last an hour long! Thank you!

[@SpikeXtreme]

I learnt something new today thanks to Neil. Chuck is always entertaining, great double act.

[@maxwell_brooks]

Only wish my science professor would be like this. The class would be less boring and students would learn much more.

[@SpurnOfHumanity]

I love when Neil just goes on...

[@TikkyTakMoo]

9:26 i feel like Neil avoided saying the actual catastrophe those solar flares can cause to not send his audience into mass panic 🤣😶🤫

[@Drahko12]

I know, I saw a video on other physics channels and is scary in terms of our electronic based economy. Didn’t we dogged a big one on 2010 or 2012 that could have been bad?

[@zogar8526]

@@Drahko12 I kind of remember hearing about one a little more recent then that that might have been an issue. But the thing is, ones that can cause real problems are pretty rare. Our sun doesn't put out many that big at all, and then even less of them pointed in our direction. It's for sure an issue we really should prepare for. But also one we won't likely experience in our lives. Which makes it sad that means we won't do anything. Just like with astroids and climate change.

[@TuxedoMaskMusic]

The Great Global Warming Swindel (A documentary by BBC i want to say) talks about how much more the sun flare has an effect on global warming than carbon emission ever could, say nothing of events like super volcano's the earth survived high carbon emissions in the past (mass extincions of animals happened to be sure) but the Earth was fine.

[@humanform5354]

One of THE BEST episodes of Star Talk, EVER!!!...

[@SeanKennardRN]

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is officially the king of KZbin thumbnails!🔥👑🔥

[@Homo-Curiositas]

Please keep making these! you learn something and Chuck can sketch situations that are hilarious its perfect

[@greggrant670]

I had you in my astronomy 101 class at UMCP back in (I think it was) 1983. You made a tremendous impression on me with how animated you were and how stoic and unresponsive the (hundreds of) students were. I never forgot you and it was really cool to see you resurface years later as a pop. sci. personality.

[@Goldengirl48]

Thank you Neil and Chuck for bringing light and laughter to a somewhat dry factual subject. I wish there could be more teams of educators who would bring laughter into education. I think a lot more kids would stay in school.

[@stephengillenwaters1950]

Thank you for keeping the sciences alive!!!. Educational and entertaining. Keep up the Great content guys!!!

[@seantlewis376]

I LOVE Chuck's tale from the fish's perspective!

[@FirstCatch]

Fishing we love it! Catch & Release!

[@DonMarzzoni]

Releasing fish after they been caught is super traumatizing for them. They actually go into shock and stop eating until they starve to death. It's better to take it home and eat it.

[@suketgajah8107]

😭

[@Nipplator99999999999]

Watching Chuck's eyes light up, and face remorse as he realized he had a "that time of the month" joke, but wasn't allowed to make it, is priceless.

[@humanform5354]

I was SO waiting for that joke to drop, but I guess he caught himself...

[@raqueldbrinson]

FOUND IT!!! “The sun, with all the planets revolving around it, and depending on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as though it had nothing else in the universe to do.”

[@muhammadbashirmusa8238]

Guys I love these explainer videos well done ✅

[@Cookie69697]

Once again what a brilliant lecture and fun facts on the workings of the Sun.

[@vijayvj149]

Chuck T shirt with Neil quotes wow!!🤩

[@metalolotea7244]

WOW....you guys never cease to amaze me...simply love these quick antidotes!!

[@ankeetsharma3186]

I am IT guy with tons of programming and tools to learn, but here i am listening to these guys. 😅

[@erichcosta8510]

Love you guys!!! Thanks for the lessons!!! 🤓😎

[@StoneFaceTraders]

These make the perfect start to my morning coffee routine 😎

[@michaelfields2050]

Love your books Neil keep it up I would love to meet you one day

[@williamselby314]

great little comments about history of sun and moonlight didnt know and was enlightened. thank you

[@baycast]

Fabulous as always.

[@lucyspearl]

I love this show.

[@positiveposts1249]

Such a fun way to learn-thank you guys

[@jamelahmcmillan8661]

Iam here , I love this show so much

[@peteriliev757]

Please go over the suns whole life cycle, from beginning to end

[@alex84621]

The equator of the earth spins faster through space but at the poles, the direction toward the universe spins faster. But you're moving slower through space. So cool

[@jeffdelancey8360]

You guys are Great together!

[@nobodie9996]

11:15 The Merry-Go-Round effect. Ty for that, it's a great way to explain it.

[@educostanzo]

I know right? I was almost giving up on getting what he was saying but then he threw the merry-go-round and it all made perfect sense.

[@mattcraft7164]

Chucks best performance ever!! Would love to see that animated!

[@paulhaynes3170]

Thankyou mate ! I appreciate you !

[@janjakubsky8176]

I was hoping Neil give us some curiosities about CME, nonetheless great episode. Chuck was nice as always, I love his humor.

[@dahleno2014]

His humor is the primary reason I rarely watch these. He is so cringe.

[@elwoodzmake]

@@dahleno2014 I think your name perfectly encapsulates you don't have really an arbiters perspective of what is funny. Do you think your name is funny, it sure makes me cringe and marvel at the lack of your education.

[@jamesbohlingerjr.9670]

That was an awesome vid. Pure science

[@TheRabbitRonin]

1:58 I hope they really do animate that fish speaking the words Chuck said. I doubt they will, but I hope they do. They also spoke of a short film I would like to see of the 8 minutes during which the sun has already vanished.

[@lillyrey5727]

Always being schooled by this channel. Seriously, some one animate chucks fish story🤣

[@richardgratton7557]

Fish…school… school of fish. I see what you did there😉

[@alexisfox2511]

Great explainer!

[@midnightchurningspriteshaq8533]

Carl's Sagan's flatland being a 2D Circle and being taken to a 3D land and put back in and trying to explain a direction that doesn't exist in that realm.

[@danielf1276]

Edwin Abbott Abbott wrote Flatland, the story about the circle/sphere amongst other parts, in 1884. Just for the record, not to diminish Sagan's retelling and further contributions to the "flatland" concept.

[@themoviebrotha1033]

Repeat upload 🤔I'd luv to have Dr Tyson as my Astronomy teacher back in the day👍🏿😎

[@andrewm8429]

Chucks fish rant and the sun snatcher idea are great

[@adrees]

But wait there’s more 😱😍 Love you guys!

[@BarcodedMusic]

These two guys are awesome together.

[@mangledmango]

I love you guys so much! thanks for everything!!!

[@mangledmango]

I would LOVE to see that short film... 8:20 to be exact

[@doordashpro9110]

Related to the sun and moon light , 1 day a year at about 4:45 am crossing the Mackinaw bridge you can see the crest of the moon set and the rise of the sun at equal levels on both horizons, most amazing visual ever

[@theconqueringram5295]

What an enlightening video.

[@kathryntate6809]

This was great!!

[@saurabh2504]

I knew so many things about Sun and still, Neil amazed me with so many new things! Cheers with that wine ripen by Sun!

[@iTheShirt]

That would be an amazing film.

[@kevindunk8796]

Awesome stuff!!!!

[@OmegaRedFan]

Great job!

[@TranBaoThachOfficial]

Love this

[@vamps1385]

Bright subject, i love the sun and all the dynamics of its plasma amd megnetic field. thanks Neil...Hi Chuck ;..;/

[@varunmehta5627]

It must be the first time I've heard the word " *Magnetohydrodynamical* " and I love it 🤩

[@jameshogan1871]

Doing the Billy Mays thing today... Billy's mom passed about 2pm today, and I check out Startalk and, but wait, there's more. Great explanation of the flares.

[@albertmarc8117]

Chuck you are the best 👌

[@TacticalSBR]

Thank you for this video Mr. Tyson. I will be representing my local astronomy club at a large outreach event in early December. I will be using a Coronado PST, and will be seeing the sun through a telescope for the very first time. If I can remember your information (at least a portion of it) I think I will be able to answer many of the 100's of questions from the intended audience (3rd-8th graders).

[@Goldengirl48]

Wow, you are incredible! I am so happy that there are still educators like you that are still interested in bringing truth to our young ❤️

[@TheStevedie]

Watching the both of you is a real treat. Lol

[@postxtito]

You guys are great

[@juliewood823]

As always …Thanks much - ❤️❤️❤️❤️👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽🌎

[@TheStellardust]

You guys are gems of this planet

[@deewhy04]

Neil y'all should see final space ..I would really love to hear your take on that...

[@michaelp4013]

Neil: "were gonna get someone who will animate a fish with those exact words" You got it man

[@alstonmiller212]

shark tales 2

[@kathiaromero2943]

Neil, you are a big inspiration to me. Regards from Mexico!

[@XxTheAwokenOnexX]

After this summer i can not wait for Autumn and the cooler weather to arrive.

[@kevinflick61]

Only Neil deGrasse Tyson can use big complicated words while describing something and still make it totally understandable to those of us who do not have a background in astrophysics or related sciences.

[@88Xtian08]

Before Neil said: about a million, I was thinking in that number, then I heard the exact answer and a tear fell down from my face! 🥲 #MakingProudStarTalkHosts

[@zealest2011]

Amazing indeed!

[@erichcosta8510]

Yesssss!!! Lovely!!! Gotta like the Sun! 🌞😎

[@oii0712]

Waiting for something like this

[@namret12]

Chuck was going to say, ‘as moody as my wife?’…..🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ryanboucher13]

Is there a sun that only emits light that is not visible to the human eye? I can’t find the answer online. So glad I found your videos. I’ve been binge watching them all week.

[@OrcinusLaryngologist]

Magnetars?

[@mil3761]

Neil and Chuck have the funniest connection. The whole joke at the start about the fish experience of land had me cracking up

[@julieinthedesert420]

I have NOAAs Space Weather as a trash on my browser home screen. I check it daily. I saw that humongous sun spot, but looking like a really huge tear. I didn't get any info for over 3 days. I knew I wasn't the 1st to see it but was confused why the info took so long to get out. I love Space Science so much! ❤❤

[@BALBIRSingh-ts9ee]

Great 👍

[@tilaksai420]

I am convinced! Chuck surely came from the water

[@adeliyag7918]

I love you both ❤❤❤

[@iAFKall_day]

Nice Chuck!!

[@akj22akj]

Amazing

[@DatGinnga]

Dope!

[@AniruddhaRoyChowdhury3001]

Love Chuck's tshirt

[@AlfaMist-mf6rj]

dear hosts, This is so far the best version FYI simple exciting slice of the sun cycle I've ever come upon, pun intended, barring solar flares and solar winds. twins and equatorial spins differentiated spuns? Acne? Why, I'll never cease to be amazed forever in your depth sincerely and moody, your secret admirer freckled and proud , 👽