The Sun
All about the center of our universe!
All It's Layers
The Sun has many layers. The layers are the:
Core, Radiative Zone, Convective Zone, Photosphere, Chromospere, and Corona.
They are listed in order from the inside out.
Meet the Layers
Core
The core is found in the center of the sun, this is where nuclear reactions consume hydrogen in order to form helium. It has a very high temperature, more than 15 million degrees Kelvin! The density of the core is 150 g/cm³, which is roughly ten times the density of gold.
Radiative Zone
The radiative zone is used to transfer energy, in the form of radiation, is transferred by its interaction with surrounding atoms. The temperature here is cooler, allowing some atoms to remain intact.
Convective Zone
The convective zone is the outermost layer of the solar interior. It extends from the visible surface to 200,000 km below. The temperature here is about 2,000,000 degrees Celsius, which is cool enough for ions such as carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen.
Photosphere
The photosphere is called the apparent surface of the sun This is because the sun does not have a definite surface like the earth. The temperature of the photosphere is 5,800 degrees Kelvin. Gas here is thin enough for the atoms to absorb/ release energy.
Chromosphere
The temperature of the Chromosphere ranges from 6,000 to 20,000 degrees Celsius. At temperatures like this, hydrogen emits a light that gives a red color. This is why this layer is called the Chromosphere (color-sphere).
Corona
The Corona has a very high temperature but is less dense than the Earth is at sea level. The glow is not as bright than of the photosphere. The Corona is visible during total eclipses.
Sunspot
Sunspots are the cooler areas on the surface of the sun. Some sunspots can be 50,000 km in diameter. They occur over areas of high magnetic activity.
Flare
A flare is a sudden, rapid, and intense variation in brightness. It occurs when magnetic energy that has been built up has suddenly been released.
Aurora
Auroras are caused by collisions between gaseous particles in the Earth's atmosphere with charged particles released from the sun's atmosphere. The variations in color are due to the type of gas particles that are colliding.
Prominence
A prominence is an arc of gas that erupts from the surface of the Sun. They are held above the Sun's surface by strong magnetic fields. It can last for many months.