Does the Sun have an Orbit?

[Equilibrium]

If the moon orbits the earth, and the earth orbits the sun, what does the sun orbit? Does it directly revolve around the milky way or does it orbit an even bigger star?

[D H]

If the moon orbits the earth, and the earth orbits the sun, what does the sun orbit?

Strictly speaking, the Earth and Moon orbit one another about their common center of mass. The center of mass of the Earth-Moon system is not at the center of the Earth. It is about 2/3 Earth radii from the center of the Earth (i.e., it is still inside the Earth). The Earth-Moon system together orbit the Sun. The largest planet in the solar system is Jupiter. Thus one can roughly say that the Sun and Jupiter orbit their common center of mass. The center of mass of the Sun-Jupiter system is slightly outside the surface of the Sun. It is even better is to say that the Sun orbits the solar system barycenter (center of mass).

 

 

Does it directly revolve around the milky way or does it orbit an even bigger star?

The Sun is a single star. It more or less orbits the Milky Way. However, when the Sun goes through one of the arms of the galaxy this changes the Sun's orbit about the Milky Way by quite a bit.

 

 

 

[alpha2cen]

 

The Sun is a single star. It more or less orbits the Milky Way. However, when the Sun goes through one of the arms of the galaxy this changes the Sun's orbit about the Milky Way by quite a bit.

 

 

The sun movement depends on many factors.

1) A movement of turning around the Galactic center.

2) A movement of attracting nearby stars, i.c. local fluff or local bubble stars.

3) The Sun in itself radiation effect . The sun movement is affected by the force balance between the emitted radiation pressure and the cosmic ray radiation pressure on the surface of the Heliosphere.