How Much Of The Sun’s Radiation Is At Wavelengths We Can See?

It’s obvious the Sun is the source of both almost all the light by which we see, and most of heat that makes the Earth a warm oasis in the deep cold of interstellar space. In recent centuries we’ve learned the Sun releases other sorts of energy: high frequency radiation such as ultraviolet light and X-rays, as well as the kinetic energy carried on the solar wind. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Perhaps you have wondered how these compare energetically? Is most of the Sun’s radiation at visible wavelengths? If not, is there more at wavelengths too high, or too low, for our eyes? If so, this article is for you.

First, a quick background on electromagnetic radiation

Light is composed of photons, the carrier of the electr