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Stars and solar physics

Stars and solar physics

The Sun’s enigmatic crown

13 Sep 2021 James Dacey
The Sun’s enigmatic crown
Understanding why the corona is so hot could help us foresee turbulent space weather
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      The Sun’s corona is the beautiful crown-shaped glow that becomes visible to us on Earth during a total solar eclipse. Strangely, although the corona is a million times dimmer than the solar surface beneath, it is a million kelvin hotter. This video introduces the mystery of the hot solar corona and why a solution could leave us better prepared for the perils of space weather.

      Find out more in the article ‘The enduring mystery of the solar corona’, originally published in the September 2021 issue of Physics World.

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