The Sun’s Scorching Secret: Unraveling The Mystery Of The Corona’s Blazing Heat

The Sun, Earth’s nearest star, holds a profound mystery that challenges fundamental laws of physics. Its atmosphere, the corona, is astonishingly hotter than its surface, defying conventional understanding of heat distribution. While the surface shines at 6000°C, the corona soars to millions of degrees. Dr. Miho Janvier, a solar physicist at the European Space Agency, finds this phenomenon “very strange,” as it contradicts everyday experience where distance from a heat source typically corresponds to decreasing temperature.

At the heart of the Sun lies a natural nuclear fusion reactor, its core accounting for just 3% of the star’s volume yet containing over a third of its mass. Crushed by gravity, the core’s temperature reaches a staggering 15 million°C. The puzzle of the corona’s excessive heat —, with scientists seeking answers that could protect electronics, technology, and astronauts from space weather’s destructive storms.

The implications of unraveling this mystery are substantial, potentially shielding Earth and its technological advancements from the Sun’s erratic outbursts. As researchers continue to probe the Sun’s secrets, they may uncover crucial insights into the workings of the solar system. Information for this article was obtained from “BBC Science Focus Magazine”.