Book 8, Question 73
Why Is the Sun’s Surface Speckled with Sunspots?
The Sun's surface is speckled with sunspots, which are patches where magnetic knots make the surface cooler. So those patches look darker than their surroundings. Sunspot numbers rise and fall in about an 11-year cycle.
More fun facts
- Sunspots are cooler, darker areas on the Sun's surface where magnetic fields get twisted and stretched.
- These magnetic snarls block heat from flowing up to the surface, so those spots look darker.
- The number of sunspots rises and falls over a cycle of about 11 years.
- Scientists use satellites to watch sunspots and predict how active the Sun will be.
- One study suggests sunspots form as hot gases rise to the surface, spread out, cool and then sink back into the Sun.
Sources: NOAA, NASA Science, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Are sunspots actually cold?
No. They are only cooler than the rest of the Sun's surface, which makes them look dark.