Since you can’t visit the Sun right now—it is about 93 million miles away after all—you need to rely on pictures taken by telescopes and probes to get an idea of what the Sun looks like. As a scientist, you can use your powers of observation to create a model of the Sun. A model is a copy of something. Models make it easier to share and investigate things that are far away or that are very, very big or very, very small. In this activity, you’ll make a swirling model of the surface of the Sun using shaving cream and food dye. So, what does that Sun look like, up close?

The Sun is  much more than a glowing light in the sky. The Sun is not solid; it’s a massive body of different plasmas, incredibly hot, electrically-charged gasses (mostly hydrogen) that emit light and flow continuously across the surface of the Sun.  The surface of the Sun constantly changes and moves as the gasses twist and swirl, creating tangled magnetic fields, large sprays of plasma, and dark patches called sunspots. These changes on the surface of the Sun are called solar activity. There are times when the Sun is very active (during “solar maximum”) and times when it changes very little (solar minimum). That pattern, as the activity rises and falls, is the Sun’s solar cycle which takes about 11 years per cycle.

You can tell where the Sun is in its cycle by counting the sunspots . Sunspots are cooler, darker areas on the Sun’s surface. Those are the spots when the magnetic fields are really strong and actually block the heat of the Sun’s core from reaching the surface. Solar flares are intense explosions of energy that release radiation into space. They happen near sunspots when the magnetic fields cross one another. 

Sometimes, there are even coronal mass ejections (CME for short) which are like huge bubbles of radiation and particles from the Sun’s corona , its outermost layer. Charged particles from the corona create beautiful streamers, loops, and plumes all over the surface of the Sun. The corona also causes the solar winds that travel through our solar system and outward into space for billions of miles. The constant flow of energy and matter from the Sun creates the heliosphere , a giant bubble around the Sun and its planets.

The Sun is a dynamic, ever-changing star. Take a closer look and get to know it better by looking at what our Sun looks like today from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory . Or try NASA’s interactive Helioviewer . ( Never look directly at the real sun! ) Then, grab your supplies and make your model!

Below are pictures of the surface of the sun. Are there areas that look darker or brighter than the rest of the surface? Look for signs of sunspots, solar flares, or CMEs. Do you spot any patterns? What colors do you see? What textures do you notice? Do these pictures remind you of other things you have seen—like a roaring campfire, raindrops falling into a puddle, or steam rising over a cup of soup?

Make a list of observations. Try to come up with at least three words to describe the surface of the Sun. Get creative! You can draw some pictures as well. Scientists and engineers often sketch or take pictures while they make observations.

Want larger versions of these images, additional photos, or a description of what’s happening in each picture? Download this presentation or visit Goddard Space Flight Center , Solar Dynamics Observatory , or the NASA Image Gallery.

What features of the Sun are most interesting to you? For your model, do you want to make a quiet Sun at the start of the solar cycle or a spotted Sun at the peak of its activity? How will you represent the motion of gasses on the surface of the Sun?

Once you know what you want to model, it’s time to get crafty. Gather your materials!

Shaving cream (foam, not gel)

Food coloring (liquid, not gel) or liquid watercolors

Toothpicks, popsicle sticks, bamboo skewers, or chopsticks

A plate with low rim or wax paper

Scrap cardboard, squeegee, or rubber spatula

Newspaper or tablecloth to protect your work area

Paper towels for clean up

Safety and clean-up: This activity can be messy. Food coloring can stain clothes, surfaces, and skin. Cover all surfaces. If desired, wear gloves. Keep shaving cream away from your eyes.

Practice makes perfect. Start with a basic Sun model. Once you have tried the technique, we’ll explore ways to add additional details.

Why does this work? Shaving cream is an emulsion of soap and oil with lots of air to make it foamy. Its soap and oil parts mostly repel water. Food coloring is mostly made of water, so it sits on top of the shaving cream and, even when you mix it, doesn’t really dissolve into the shaving cream. It’s the same thing you see when making a vinaigrette salad dressing. However, paper absorbs water very easily. So when you lay your paper on the shaving cream, the watery food coloring is wicked up and transferred to the paper to make your design.

Once it’s dry you can cut out your Sun and hang it somewhere special. To make another print, you may need to remove the top layer of colored shaving cream and add a fresh layer.

Working with a group? Download the presentation.

Now that you’ve had the opportunity to see how the basic printing process works, think about how you can add more scientific features to your model. Ask yourself:

As you think about those questions, you may want to remember some features of the Sun you learned about earlier.

Once you have a plan for ways to improve upon your model, you can add more details to represent what you’ve learned. Here are some ideas.

We’d love to see your Sun models! Share photos of your project with the hashtag #SciFriSunCamp or tag @SciFri on social media. Or send them directly to Science Friday using the Sun Camp photo submission form.

You have just made a 2-dimensional (or 2-D) model of the Sun. 2-D models are flat, like a map or a diagram in a book. 

Search your house for craft supplies, building blocks, clay, or other materials that you can use to create your new, more realistic model.

Our shaving cream print model from above focused on the corona, the outer layer, of the Sun. 

Learn more about the Sun’s zones . Then try making a model that reflects what is inside the Sun.

Rather than using pictures, you may want to directly observe the Sun for your model. Never look directly at the sun! It can seriously hurt your eyes. Want to look at the Sun safely? You can build a solar viewer or pinhole camera . How does the image you see in a viewer differ from the photos you’ve looked at?

You can also read about the Sun to learn more. Try NASA’s free e-book, Our Very Own Star: The Sun . Or visit your local library for fun books like Sun! One in a Billion by Stacy McAnulty.  If you discover a great book, make sure you share your recommendation with Science Friday. Send us an email at educate@sciencefriday.com.

Do you have questions about the sun? Register for Sun Camp to ask real scientists! Or visit sciencefriday.com/suncamp on Wednesdays, 4 pm PT / 7 pm ET to watch our live Q&A sessions.

This resource works toward the following performance expectations:

Digital Production by Sandy Roberts.

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Sandy Roberts is Science Friday’s Education Program Manager, where she creates learning resources and experiences to advance STEM equity in all learning environments. Lately, she’s been playing with origami circuits and trying to perfect a gluten-free sourdough recipe.

Use binoculars or a telescope to identify and track sunspots. You’ll need a bright sunny day for this DIY Sun Science Activity from Lawrence Hall of Science.

What does the Sun do? Tell us, using the hashtag #ExplainTheSun

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