A Lesser Alchemy Lab: The Sun

1. Hydrogen fuel, 2. Heat passes through the hydrogen layer to the surface, 3. Heat reaching the surface is radiated away, 4. Helium core

The Sun is a giant nuclear reactor that constantly transforms atoms of hydrogen into helium and produces heat in the process. What is crucial to this process however is the incredible precision with which these reactions are balanced within the Sun. The slightest change in any of the forces governing these reactions would result in their failure or in a catastrophic runaway explosion.

The Universe’s Alchemy Labs: Red Giants (Part 1)

The temperature required to overcome the reluctance of nuclei to change is nearly 10 million degrees Celsius. This is why “alchemy” in the real sense takes place only in stars. In medium-sized stars like the Sun, the enormous energy being radiated is the result of hydrogen being fused into helium.