Is Aldebaran hotter than the sun?

As an expert in astronomy, I can provide you with a detailed comparison between Aldebaran and the Sun. Aldebaran, also known as Alpha Tauri, is a red giant star located about 65 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Taurus. The Sun, on the other hand, is a yellow dwarf star located at the center of our solar system.

To determine which star is hotter, we look at their respective surface temperatures. The surface temperature of Aldebaran is approximately 3,630 Kelvin (K), while the Sun's surface temperature is about 5,500 K. However, it's important to note that Aldebaran, being a red giant, has a much larger radius than the Sun, which means it has a larger surface area and emits more light and heat overall, despite its lower surface temperature.

In terms of core temperature, the Sun's core is much hotter, with temperatures reaching around 15 million K, which is where nuclear fusion occurs. The core temperature of Aldebaran is not well-defined due to its status as a red giant and the complex nature of its outer layers, but it is generally cooler than the Sun's core.

So, when comparing the two stars, the Sun is hotter in terms of both surface and core temperatures. However, Aldebaran emits more energy due to its larger size.

Science of star Aldebaran. This star glows with the orangish color of a K5 giant star. In visible light, it is about 153 times brighter than the sun, although its surface temperature is lower (roughly 4000 kelvins compared to 5800 kelvins for the sun).