• Question: how do sciencists measure the surface temperature of the sun?

    Asked by sbdw to Betul, Ceri-Wyn on 23 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Betul Arslan

      Betul Arslan answered on 23 Jun 2010:

      Theoretically 🙂 Based on an equation that includes sun’s solar spectrum and the distance to earth they measure the surface temperature of the Sun. Here is the spectrum of the Sun:

      When they measure the temperature of the Sun, what they refer is the sun’s surface. So far the number on the surface is 5700 Kelvin (5,505 C), hot hot hot! If the Sun were any cooler, it would be more of a reddish color. If the Sun were hotter, it would look blue-ish.

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