How the Sun was born and what keeps it burning so hot; Check here

Every morning, the sun rises, bringing light and life to Earth. But we rarely consider the source of its power. This daily event hides a powerful astronomical force. Let's explore the science behind the sun's energy and heat.

The sun rises every morning, bringing light, warmth, and energy. But we rarely think about the source of the sun's power. This daily event hides a powerful astronomical force, a giant sphere of gas that keeps our solar system in balance. Let's learn about it...

The sun's heat is intense and varies across its layers. From moderate levels on the surface to extreme temperatures in its core and outer atmosphere. Surprisingly, the outer layer, farther from the heat-producing core, is hotter than the surface. This is a major unsolved question in solar science. Let's explore the sun's structure and how each layer contributes to its intense temperature.

What is the sun made of? The sun's core is a massive ball of gas, primarily hydrogen and helium. These gases exist in a plasma state, where intense heat strips electrons from atoms. This plasma is energized and constantly moving.

Nuclear fusion: The sun's energy comes from nuclear fusion. Deep in its core, hydrogen atoms fuse under immense pressure to form helium. This process releases tremendous energy, which slowly moves outward. This fusion process makes the sun shine and keeps its core at extremely high temperatures.

The core: At the sun's core, the temperature reaches about 15 million degrees Celsius. It's the hottest part of the star. The pressure here is immense, causing hydrogen atoms to constantly fuse into helium, producing the energy that powers the sun.

Radiative zone: Above the core is the radiative zone, where energy moves very slowly. Light particles (photons) are absorbed and re-emitted by atoms in the plasma, a process that can take thousands of years. Temperatures gradually decrease in this zone but still range from 2 to 7 million degrees Celsius.

Convective zone: As energy reaches the convective zone, it moves more freely. Hot plasma rises toward the surface, cools slightly, and sinks back down, creating large circulation currents. This zone, with temperatures around 2 million degrees Celsius, plays a key role in transporting the sun's energy to its outer layers.

Photosphere: What we perceive as the sun's surface is the photosphere. It's not a solid layer. The temperature here reaches about 5,500 degrees Celsius. This is the layer that emits sunlight into space. Sunspots, darker areas on the photosphere, occur due to lower temperatures caused by magnetic activity.

Chromosphere: The temperature in the chromosphere varies. It starts at about 6,000°C near the photosphere, decreases to about 4,000°C, and then rises again in the upper layers. This layer appears as a reddish ring during a total solar eclipse.

Corona: The sun's outermost layer is the corona, the hottest part of its atmosphere. Despite being far from the core, temperatures reach up to 2 million degrees Celsius. The reason for this temperature difference remains a mystery, but scientists suspect magnetic forces play a role in heating the corona.