Welcome back Stargazers!
The New Year 2026 has arrived and what lies ahead will be full of mystery and dreams. I thought it would be fun to get better acquainted with the Planets of our Solar System: their sphere of influence, astrological meaning and their impact on our lives.
We’ll be starting this year-long journey with the most dominant and impact-filled of all the planets in our Solar System – the Sun. I’ll discover with you the Astronomy of our Sun, its ancient Folklore, and finally the Astrology of this unique Star.
Let’s start with its Astronomy:
The Sun is commonly referred to as a ‘yellow dwarf.’ [A ‘yellow dwarf’ is a star which appears yellow in color and is medium in size.] It’s estimated to be 4.6 billion years old, orbits the center of the Milky Way and is also the center of our solar system. Its structure is primarily hydrogen and helium with traces of heavier elements such as oxygen, carbon, and iron.
The Sun consists of 6 specific layers:
Core – the innermost part where nuclear fusion occurs at temperatures of 15 million° C.
Radiative Zone – energy travels outward via thermal radiation.
Convective Zone – heat is transferred through the movement of plasma, similar to boiling water.
Photosphere – the visible “surface” flares at approximately 5,500° C.
Chromosphere – a thin layer of the solar atmosphere with a reddish hue.
Corona – the wispy outermost atmosphere, interestingly reaching temperatures of up to 2 million° C.
The size of our Sun is about 109 times that of Earth and it resides in the Orion Spur, a minor spiral arm of the Milky Way. Occasionally there are solar flares caused by magnetic disturbances that may disrupt satellite communications and power grids on Earth. This special star is currently in its middle age and will be around for about another 5 billion years.
This is just a quick overview from a more scientific approach of the size and power of our Sun. Let’s now look at the Folklore surrounding this fire-breathing, fury entrenched, brilliant globe that appears daily in our lives. Even before scientists discovered that our planet revolves around the Sun, the ancients knew the importance of this fiery star and told stories to illustrate that importance using chariots and solar gods.
The majority of solar folklore often portrays this star as a powerful deity, a protective ancestor, or a central figure in myths explaining day, night, and the seasons. The ancients imagined the Sun as Apollo, driving a chariot pulled by four fiery horses, or as the god Ra, who sails a barque (a ship with at least three sails) across the sky by day and through the underworld at night, while he battles the serpent Apep. The Hindus believe Surya, the Sun god, is riding in a chariot pulled by seven horses, representing the seven colors of light or the seven days of the week.
Through the ages the legends of the Sun all have the same approach to this giant star. These stories encompass wisdom, enlightenment, and divine justice. Even in our current environment, we celebrate the “rebirth” of the Sun during the shortest day of the year (Winter Solstice), and babies born at sunrise on that date are considered specially blessed with a long life. Later this month, we’ll tie together the Astronomy of the Sun and the unique legends of this star to learn about how this impacts the world of Astrology.
Fittingly, new ideas and beliefs await us in 2026. Keep looking to the Heavens and enjoy their beautiful light display. Imagine we’re viewing the same stars as the ancients – hopefully with the same sense of wonder.
Happy Stargazing until next time.
Yours in the Stars,
Astrid