Finally … it’s summer again! The mood is rising and plans have been made for the coming weeks. It’s vacation time, finally time to get away again. Or would you rather visit a few festivals and enjoy being together with your friends again after two years of the coronavirus pandemic? To get us all in the mood for the best weeks of the year, this article will tell you all you need to know about the star that brings us the warm summer days: the sun.
Did you know that …
… the sun has a diameter of 1.4 million kilometers? That’s pretty big, isn’t it? Our earth is just 13,000 kilometers across. Just imagine one of those inflatable sitting/gym balls and a small cherry next to it. Then you have the approximate dimensions in front of your eyes.
… the sun weighs 2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilograms? What a crazy number. That makes the sun 330,000 times heavier than the earth. So we are quite a lightweight.
… the sun is 4,700,000,000 years old? This means that it has now reached almost half of its lifespan.
… the sun has a temperature of approx. 15.6 million degrees in its core?
… the average distance to the Earth is 149,600,000 kilometers? (the distance varies because the Earth’s orbit around the sun is oval and not uniformly round).
Pretty hot facts, aren’t they? And where there is a lot of heat, you should also protect yourself well. Because the sun not only provides life on our planet, but also sends ultraviolet light to the earth. Although this is invisible to the human eye, it penetrates even deeper under the skin. The so-called UV-A and UV-B rays damage our cells and can cause skin cancer. According to a study[1], just five sunburns before the age of 20 are enough to increase the risk of skin cancer by 80 %. So watch out!
But what can you do to prevent it?
The most effective way to protect yourself is to cover your skin with dark, tightly woven clothing. This prevents the UV rays from penetrating the fabric and damaging your skin. Not your thing? Do you want to wear shorts on hot summer days? What do you have all those nice clothes for, right? Do we understand? ? Then there’s only one thing to do: sun cream.
Around 2 milligrams of cream per square centimeter of skin is recommended for decent protection, so don’t be too sparing with the sunscreen! It is better not to consider a sun protection factor below 30. But remember: it takes about 30 minutes for the protection to take effect. So always apply sun cream in good time before going out into the sun.
Incidentally, animals can also get sunburn. This is particularly true for light-colored, thin-haired skin areas such as those of domestic pigs.
One misconception is that clouds offer protection from UV radiation. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Although clouds absorb some of the radiation, they also reflect it. This means that under certain circumstances a partly cloudy sky can even increase the radiation. The situation is similar in water. Even at a depth of half a meter, around 40 % of the UV radiation still penetrates. These UV rays are pretty stubborn.
You already know quite a lot about the sun – just the right time for a quiz, right? So let’s go, we’ve put together 8 questions about the sun for you. With 3 or more points you will receive a 10% discount on your next purchase! Have fun!
And where are we going this year?
After all, we Germans love to travel. Preferably to faraway places. But vacations in our own country have also – inevitably – become more popular again. In 2019, around 55 million people took a trip of at least 5 days. More than ever before. This means that Germans spent a total of 73.1 billion euros on their vacations. Do you also want to go on vacation but don’t know where to go yet?
Here we have listed the five sunniest places in Europe for you*:
- Madrid: 2769 hours
- Athens: 2771 hours
- Lisbon: 2799 hours
- Marseille: 2858 hours
- Valletta: 2957 hours
* Hours of sunshine per year
If you’re lying on the beach in the sun and want to take some nice vacation photos for your loved ones back home, always remember: never look directly at the sun through a camera lens or binoculars – it can blind you. There are special filters for this that block over 99% of sunlight. If you prefer it to be really dark, you’ll have to be patient: the next total solar eclipse in Germany won’t be until September 3, 2081.
Still haven’t had enough of the sun?
Then here are some interesting facts about the glowing star:
Did you know that …
… astronauts on the ISS see 15 sunrises and sunsets a day? That alone makes it worth becoming an astronaut, doesn’t it?
… it takes 8 minutes and 17 seconds for the light from the sun to reach the earth?
… the sun is not yellow at all? Only our atmosphere makes it appear yellowish to us.
… a nuclear war almost broke out in 1967 due to a solar storm? The charged particles from the sun caused the US missile early warning system to fail, leading the Americans to initially assume that the Soviet Union had launched a targeted disruptive attack in order to carry out a nuclear strike on the USA. [2]
… the banana is crooked because it grows towards the sun?
… the sun travels a distance of 220 kilometers per second? However, even at this speed, it would take 226 million years to circle the Milky Way.
… 1 square meter of the sun’s surface shines brighter than 1 million light bulbs?
From the cult of the sun to solar energy
The earth depends on the benevolence of the sun god. Without the sun, there is no light, no warmth and no life. The sun itself – in the form of the sun god Re/Ra – was one of the most important ancient Egyptian gods. He had the power to make life on earth possible. In many cultures around the world, the sun was worshipped in a variety of ways. Stonehenge in southern England is one of the oldest places of worship in the world. The stones were arranged in such a way that the position of the sun and moon could be followed over the course of the seasons.[3]
Nowadays, the sun is primarily seen as the largest source of energy. Photovoltaic systems are needed to harness the sun’s energy. When sunlight falls on solar cells made of semiconductor material, a voltage builds up between the layers, the electrons are set in motion and electricity is generated. This direct current is converted into alternating current via an inverter and can be used directly or stored in batteries. By the way: our infrared heaters can also be operated with this green electricity.
Celebrate with us and win a heater with your photo!
We are also delighted that the festival season is finally starting again this year. It’s been far too long … and that’s exactly the problem. What was that again? What’s the best thing to take with you for a 3-day festival trip? We have compiled a list of the most important things for you here. It is of course infinitely expandable at will …
The festival packing list – recommended by Könighaus
The basic rule is: only bring what you really need.
- Camping chair
- Tent
- Sleeping mat and sleeping bag
- Pegs and hammer (a beer bottle is not recommended as a substitute for a hammer ?)
- Garbage bags
- Flashlight
- Board
- Knife
- Sponge and washing-up liquid
- Camping stove
- Can opener / bottle opener / corkscrew
- Cooler box
- Food and drink
- Plaster
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Brush or comb
- Shower gel
- Contact lens solution and container
- Toilet paper
- Disinfectant
- Tampons
- Shampoo
- Headgear (hat or cap)
- T-shirts & Tops
- Sweater
- Socks
- Underwear
- Long and short pants
- Sturdy shoes
- Sandals
- Rubber boots
- Tickets
- Cash
- EC or credit card
- Identity card
- Earplugs
- Sun cream
- Pocket knife
- Clothesline
- Good mood!
Conclusion
The sun is finite – and yet so vital for all of us on our planet. In addition to the pleasant aspects of summer, the sun is the biggest supplier of energy for the climate change that is so important worldwide.
Want to know more?
We are delighted if you enjoyed our article. There’s lots more exciting information to discover. For example, would you like to know more about how to set up your home office sensibly? Or are you particularly interested in the 25 tips for saving energy? Just check our blog regularly – it’s worth it! If you have any further questions, our friendly customer service team will be happy to help you – by phone, email or chat. We look forward to hearing from you.
