The sun’s core temperature reaches around 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees Fahrenheit), yet it remains a mystery how it maintains such extreme heat without cooling down.
The solar corona, or outer atmosphere, is significantly hotter than the sun’s surface, which defies conventional temperature distribution patterns. It poses questions about the underlying heating mechanisms.
The process by which the sun’s solar wind accelerates to high speeds as it moves away from the sun’s surface is still not fully understood.
While the general idea is understood, the detailed mechanisms behind the formation and behaviour of sunspots, dark patches on the sun’s surface caused by magnetic activity remain puzzling.
The triggers for solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), sudden bursts of energy and matter from the sun, are still being explored, along with their potential impact on Earth.
How the sun generates its magnetic field through a self-sustaining dynamo process within its convective layers is an ongoing area of research.
Despite several huge advances, accurately predicting the timing and intensity of the sun’s 11-year solar activity cycle still remains a challenge.