Question: If you burn when you get within close proximity to the sun, how were scientists able to determine the core temperature of the sun?

Nick Wright answered on 13 Mar 2014:

Great question! We can’t measure the temperature like we would want to with a thermometer, but there are other ways to measure the temperature. We can calculate the temperature from all the outer layers of the star pushing down on the core of the Sun, that gives us one answer. Also we can calculate the temperate needed for the star to be able to burn hydrogen in its core, that gives us another answer. Luckily both of these methods give us very similar answers so we think this is the right answer (its about 16 million degrees Celsius).