How do we know how hot our Sun is? How do we know the internal structure of stars and the type of fusion processes occurring inside them, despite not taking a single step into them? Believe it or not, the answer is seismology, the study of earthquakes.
The story begins with the development of the seismograph, which allowed us to record ground oscillations. With the power of science and mathematics, these oscillations became the key to mapping our planet's interior.
Fast forward to the 1960s, the decade of powerful telescopes. These tools not only allowed us to zoom in on the heavenly bodies, but they also allowed us to see them in finer detail. And with this advancement, scientists realized that the Sun oscillated, too. This gave them the revelation that the methods of seismology might also apply to our Sun. This gave birth to helioseismology. And if seismology applies to our Sun, then it would also work for other stars out there. This realization gave rise to asteroseismology.
Big Think tells more details about this fascinating story.
(Image Credit: Hinode JAXA/ NASA/ Wikimedia Commons)