What is the primary source dominating the energy striking Earth from non-terrestrial sources?
Answer
Our Sun via Nuclear Fusion
When considering the total energy flux striking Earth or an object in the solar system, the Sun's contribution is overwhelmingly dominant. This energy originates from its continuous nuclear fusion process. Measurements confirm that over 99.999% of the incident solar radiation is attributable solely to the Sun's ongoing fusion output. While other stars contribute light, the combined fraction received from every other star in the Milky Way galaxy is negligible in comparison to the energy delivered by our nearest stellar engine.
Related Questions
What is the defining mechanism causing a star to generate light and heat energy?What critical temperature must the core reach to force hydrogen nuclei to fuse?What celestial object forms if fusion fails below the mass threshold required for true stars?Which famous equation quantifies the mass converted into energy during stellar fusion?What type of high-energy photon initially results from fusion in the star's core?What are the three primary forms of energy emerging from the star's photosphere?What value represents the measured luminosity output of our Sun?How does the intensity of light received diminish as distance from a star increases?What are the two broad categories light reaching an observer in the universe can be divided into?What is the primary source dominating the energy striking Earth from non-terrestrial sources?What is the intrinsic energy output capability of a star fixed by, according to its observable properties?