At a Glance

Temperature increase dramatically from the sun's surface to its upper atmosphere.These images taken in different wavelengths by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory help illustrate the large temperature change.

is giving us a look at thescalding temperature range on the sun, from its surface to the upper reaches of its atmosphere.

The first image in the series on the left is the sun filtered by white light. That is followed by seven other images in various colors showing the sun in "different wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light,"NASA says.

Those wavelengths illustrate the large temperature spread on the sun in order, ranging from 6,000 degrees Celsius (left side) near its surfaceto an incredible 10 million degrees Celsius (far right) at its upper atmosphere, according to NASA.

The images were taken on Oct. 27, 2017, by the NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) satellite which was launched in February 2010.

Left to Right: The images show the increasing temperatures from the sun's surface to its upper atmosphere.

(NASA/GSFC/Solar Dynamics Observatory)

When referring to the sun's surface we are talking about its outer gassy layer rather than a solid surface. It's this photosphere layer that

The thin atmosphere above the sun's surface is called the . Temperatures are much hotter in this region of the sun compared to its surface.

Scientists are working to solve the reason why the sun's atmosphere is so much hotter than its surface.

Evidence in recent years is pointing to a theory that the sun's hot upper atmosphereis caused bybursts of intense heat called nanoflares that are emitted by the surface.

"Despite being tiny by solar standards, each packs the wallop of a 10 megaton hydrogen bomb. Millions of them are going off every second across the sun, and collectively they heat the corona," saidJim Klimchuk, a solar scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in an.

It's missions like the SDO that scientists hope will help unravel some of the remaining mysteries surrounding the sun's behavior.