From ArticleWorld

Sun god or a deity who epitomizes the sun has been worshipped by people all over the world since time immemorial. In most traditional societies he has taken so many forms and shapes and has been ascribed with such overwhelming powers that innumerous legends have built around the sun god. Interestingly in most places sun has been worshipped as a male god and is usually the brother, father, husband and/or enemy of the moon who is more often than not worshipped as a goddess. Historically, sun gods have also been the gods of honesty, truth, virtue, intelligence and also fertility.

In different cultures=

In Egyptian mythology, Ra, the sun god has been worshipped as the principal deity of the Egyptian pantheon. He was the foremost deity for centuries except for a short time between 1350 and 1334 B.C. when direct and absolute worship of the sun itself was imposed upon the kingdom of Egypt.

In Japanese mythology, the sun goddess, Amaterasu, is the mythical ancestress of the royal family of Japan. The meaning of her name can be literally translated from the Japanese to mean – glorious goddess who shines in the heavens. She is believed to have invented the cultivation of rice and wheat and the use of silkworms.

In Greek mythology the sun was personified as a deity called Helios who has been depicted as driving a fiery chariot across the sky. In later Greek mythology Helios was merged with Apollo who then became the sun god. Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis.

In Hindu mythology Surya is the sun god and the chief solar deity of the Hindus. He is the son of Dyaush and has arms and hair made of gold. He rides a gold chariot pulled by seven horses.

The missing sun

Different civilizations have different legends as to where the sun goes every night. In Egypt people believed that Ra went to the underworld each night to fight Apep. According to Japanese mythology, the sun goddess hid herself in the cave in anger thus creating darkness.