| The Sun's Structure The Interior The Core : The core contains ~1/2 of the sun's mass. Hydrogen is converted to helium through nuclear fusion. The Radiative Zone : This layer emits radiation and diffuses it outwards. It takes each photon millions of years to make its way gradually out to the surface. The Convective Zone : This layer is dominated by convection. It consists of several turbulent cells that act like a pot of boiling water. (hotter gas rising, cooler gas sinking) |
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The arrows mark the convective zone. |
The Solar Atmosphere The Photosphere : The lowest and densest part of the atmosphere. This is also the part of the sun we see. The Chromosphere : The layer above the photosphere. Temperatures rise to ~3 times that of the photosphere and it appears a reddish color. The Corona : The outermost layer of the atmosphere. Temperatures soar to a million degrees C and it extends for millions of miles. It is visible only during a solar eclipse and shines brightly in x-rays. |
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