Why Does the Sun's Corona Get Hotter Than Its Surface?

💡 The Answer

• The corona reaches millions of degrees while the surface is only about 5,500°C.
• Nanoflares, tiny magnetic explosions, are thought to heat the corona.
• Magnetic waves called Alfvén waves may also transfer energy upward.
• The corona's low density makes heat dissipation inefficient, trapping energy.
• This paradox has puzzled scientists for decades and is still not fully resolved.