SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-sunspots-cooler

Why do sunspots look dark?

They are cooler than the rest of the Sun's surface.

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  1. They are holes in the Sun
  2. They are cooler than the surface around them ✔
  3. They are shadows of planets

Why: Sunspots are still extremely hot, but they are cooler than the area around them. Next to the brighter, hotter surface they look dark. Strong magnetic fields cause them.

Huh, didn't know that: Solar flares often burst out near sunspots, where magnetic field lines get tangled.

The dad joke
Why did the Sun go to the doctor? It was worried about its spots.
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References

Answer: They are cooler than the surface around them. Sunspots are still extremely hot, but they are cooler than the area around them. Next to the brighter, hotter surface they look dark. Strong magnetic fields cause them.

  1. NASA Space Place: Sunspots and Solar Flares spaceplace.nasa.gov/solar-activity/en
    They appear dark because they are cooler than other parts of the Sun's surface.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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