What is the surprising temperature range reached by the Sun's outer layer, the corona?

Answer

Up to 3.5 million degrees Fahrenheit (2 million degrees Celsius)

One of the major scientific puzzles concerning the Sun involves the extreme temperature gradient observed in its outer atmosphere. While the visible surface, the photosphere, maintains a temperature around 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the layer situated just above it, known as the corona, exhibits temperatures reaching as high as 3.5 million degrees Fahrenheit, or 2 million degrees Celsius. This observation presents a significant mystery because standard physics models suggest temperatures should generally decrease moving away from the main heat source, which is the core. The corona is vastly hotter than the layer directly beneath it.

What is the surprising temperature range reached by the Sun's outer layer, the corona?

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