The Sun is a churning mass of hot plasma (bubbling gas) approximately 93 million miles from Earth. Its core is dense and hot – about 29 million degrees Fahrenheit.  At this temperature and pressure, hydrogen atoms join together to form helium atoms and emit mass and energy in a process known as nuclear fission.  The Sun is the closest star to Earth and is classified as a G-type main sequence star, sometimes called a yellow dwarf, and it is only medium-hot! A massive explosion, known as a solar flare, occurs when energy that has built up in the Sun’s atmosphere is suddenly released.

Koerper, an engineer by training, served in the Air Force during WWII.  Later in life he developed patents for a number of agricultural items.  Works by the artist made their way into the collection through K-State’s College of Engineering.