"the" sun?

I know stars are extremely bright so is each star like a sun to different parts of the universe or is the sun that we rotate around the only object identified as a sun in the universe that we know of?

The Sun is a name that we gave our solar system's star. A star is a star, some stars have planets orbiting them some do not.
There are some stars with planets orbiting them that are 4 times the size of Jupiter.

errrr the sun is quite powerful

that brilliant insight doesnt come cheap ya know

The words sun and star were once distinct words, but probably it would be correct now to think of "sun" as the proper name of our star.

This is probabley not much use to you, but i believe the official title for our star or our sun, is Sol..... i think

just throwing in my 3.5 cents.

Vorta

[edit on 9-3-2005 by Vorta]

In certain contexts, yes. It would also be appropriate to say that "Helios" is a proper name for our star, as is "the sun".

In general, when speaking in scientific terms, "Sol" and "the sun" refer to our star. Other stars are called by different names.
When speaking in layman's terms "sun" and "star" are interchangable. This is where a lot of the confusion comes from.

Human languages have only had to deal with extraterrestrial (not meaning aliens, just non-earth) locations for a relatively short time. We still haven't sorted out how to handle the terminology.

Nope, althought sun's energy output is incredible compared to mankind's energy production it isn't so bright.
For example both Alpha Cygni aka. Deneb and Beta Orionis aka Rigel have luminosity ~ 60 000 times the sun. (Deneb possibly over 100 000 times)

And brightest (known) star has luminosity 5 million times sun's luminosity in minimum, while maximum is 40 million times!

I thaught a sol was 1 mars day or ~24.7 hours.

That is what the scientists use to aid in clarification, Sol is the latin name for our sun. We could probly use Ra also.

He's a fun god
He's a sun god
Ra Ra Ra!

Also some times people refer to earth as "Terra"

Maybe we should give the Sun, an official modern name.

Like Jerry, or Ringo.

Good idea but terrible choice of names! We need to hire a good advertising agency to come up with something catchy.

Yeah! I can see it now!

The NEW SOLARIS tm !!
Your old sun out for the long count? Don't want your friends to see you in that old clunker on the road to Xibulbe? The NEW SOLARIS tm for the NEW AGE!
*Delivery date Dec 21, 2012. Residency restrictions (Earth) apply, tax tag and title not included.

the sun is a star, and stars are suns to other planets, if they have other planets orbiting them, so yes. And that sun is actually a medium-sized star.

I thought thats how you say sun in spanish.

hehe,

The choice was purposely terrible..!

I just think we should name it now, before Bill Gates buys it..

The moon has a similar problem.. "The Moon" Although Luna is the name of record..