This object burns about 30 times hotter than the sun: The star is around about 12 to 13 times the mass of the sun — and it gets hotter.
So why do I keep wondering if the sun might get hotter? Well, there are several compelling reasons.
For one thing, every solar cycle is thought to produce at least a 3.6 percent increase in the mass of the sun — our sun — the era of the Sunmasses. This cycle is expected to end this December, and we’ll see a significant increase in the Sun’s regular rotation. You know what this means: we’ll likely see more solar flares.
The Sun also produces a minimum every 11 years, when the temperature dips to about 600 degrees Fahrenheit. This last period, which started in July 2012, will last until around 2021.
The sun also has a maximum, which is the time when it is about 11 times the mass of the sun and its active medium is active with quiescent magnetism — hence, the name “The Sunspot” in ancient Egyptian. This peak period starts around May or June and lasts into the autumn.
NASA has compiled a cool-looking interactive visualization of the sun’s temperature. Check it out here and see how much of the sun your backyard could fit in.