Long before we understood the science behind it, the sun featured in the myths and legends of cultures across the globe. In ancient Egypt, the sun god Ra was believed to ride across the sky in a golden chariot, bringing light and warmth to the land. The Aztecs worshipped the sun as a god named Huitzilopochtli, who fought against darkness and required daily offerings of blood to ensure his continued strength. The ancient Greeks had a god named Helios, who drove a chariot of fire across the sky each day. The sun has been seen as a symbol of life, energy, and vitality, as well as creation and renewal, as it rises each day and brings new light and warmth.

Of course, we know now that the sun plays a key scientific role for our world. Our sun is a medium-sized star that formed about 4.6 billion years ago. It is the centre of our solar system and provides light and heat that make life on Earth possible. Without the sun, there would be no plants, no animals, and no humans. Over the years, scientists have learned a lot about the sun’s physical structure, composition, and behaviour. For example, did you know that the sun is actually a giant ball of gas? Its surface is made up of hot plasma, and its core is where nuclear fusion takes place, releasing enormous amounts of energy.

One of the most interesting things about the sun is its 11-year cycle of activity. This cycle is characterised by the appearance of sunspots – dark, cooler regions on the sun’s surface. During periods of high activity, the sun can release massive bursts of energy in the form of solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These events can have a significant impact on Earth, causing disruptions to power grids, communication systems, and satellites.

The word ‘sun’ appears often in our crosswords, being a short word that can fit nicely into the crossword grids, with our clues referencing both its scientific and historical and cultural status. Do you have any favourites?

Happy Puzzling!