Solar Orbiter closes in on the solution to a 65-year-old solar mystery

Solar Orbiter and NASA 's Parker Solar Probe have found the temperature of the sun's atmosphere is more than 150 times hotter than the surface.

The corona consists of an electrically charged gas known as plasma and has a temperature of around one million degrees Celsius.

It has long been suspected that turbulence in the solar atmosphere could result in significant heating of the plasma in the corona.

Solar physicists have their first measurement of the solar heating process.

This work represents a significant step forward in solving the coronal heating problem, says Project Scientist Daniel Müller .

More work is needed before we can say that the solar solar heating problem is solved but now, thanks to Daniele 's work, solar physicists have a scientific first .