The Sun
          
        
        
          
            289
          
        
        
          Yes, it does. It spins on its axis, like the planets of the solar system.
        
        
          
            Solar flares
          
        
        
          Blasts of hot gas sometimes flare
        
        
          up from the Sun’s surface in
        
        
          huge arcs or loops. They reach
        
        
          thousands of kilometres (miles)
        
        
          into space.
        
        
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          .
        
        
          The size of
        
        
          Earth compared
        
        
          to the Sun.
        
        
          The Sun is white, but
        
        
          false colour images such
        
        
          as this allow astronomers
        
        
          to identify different
        
        
          features on its surface.
        
        
          Solar flares are
        
        
          called prominences.
        
        
          Most last just a
        
        
          few minutes.