Is the Sun's Corona Hotter Than Its Surface?

💡 The Answer

• Yes, the corona reaches temperatures of 1 to 3 million Kelvin, while the surface is only 5,500 Kelvin.
• This coronal heating problem remains one of the biggest mysteries in solar physics.
• One leading theory involves nanoflares: tiny magnetic explosions that heat the corona.
• Another theory suggests waves from the Sun's interior transfer energy to the corona.