What percentage of the total mass of the entire Solar System is contained within the Sun?
Answer
Approximately 99.86%
The Sun's mass is overwhelmingly dominant within its own system, constituting about 99.86% of the total mass budget of the Solar System. This immense concentration of matter, measured around $1.9885 imes 10^{30}$ kilograms, is responsible for generating the gravitational field that dictates the orbits of every other object—including all the planets, asteroids, and comets. The remaining 0.14% accounts for everything else orbiting the star. This staggering dominance has led some astronomers to characterize the system poetically as essentially 'the sun plus some debris,' highlighting the sheer disparity in mass distribution.
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