What is a solar mass?

The mass of the Sun is often used as a convenient unit for expressing the mass of stars, galaxies and other celestial objects. SOHO Sun. Credit: SOHO (ESA and NASA). The solar mass is: M⊙ = (1.989±0.004) x 1030 kg. This is about 333,000 times the mass of the Earth. read more

The above mass is about 332 946 times the mass of Earth (M ⊕), or 1048 times the mass of Jupiter (M J). Because Earth follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, the solar mass can be computed from the equation for the orbital period of a small body orbiting a central mass. read more

Solar mass definition is - the mass of the sun used as a unit for the expression of the masses of other celestial objects and equal to about 2 × 1030 kilograms. read more

Learn about how solar energy works in Massachusetts Many people have the misconception that solar (PV) systems do not work in Massachusetts, due to New England's diverse weather conditions. However, the experts agree that Massachusetts is an excellent location for solar systems. read more