January 24, 2013
Why Is Sun's Atmosphere Hotter than Surface?
Sid Perkins, Science Now
If you thought the exterior of the sun was hot, check out its corona. Although our star's visible surface is less than 6000°C, its atmosphere blazes at up to 4 million°C. Now, thanks to a telescope briefly boosted high above Earth by a small rocket, astronomers have found evidence of long-theorized magnetic processes that could help explain these blistering temperatures.
TAGGED: Magnetic Field, Corona, Sun