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Last Post 10/18/2010 11:28 AM by  Emilia Kilpua
Sun´s temperature
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10/18/2010 7:52 AM

    My students would like to know how scientists can measure the temperature in the inner core of the Sun.

    Tags: temperature

    Emilia Kilpua



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    10/18/2010 11:28 AM

    This is a very good question! And tricky since we cannot measure the temperature in the solar core from the solar spectrum like the surface temperature. However, we can get a simple approximation from the fact that the Sun is in equilibrium: the inward pressure by the gravity has to be balanced by the outward pressure from the solar energy output. Since we know the solar radius and the mass we can estimate the core temperature that is needed to hold the Sun up against gravity.

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