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Sun's Surface

The Sun's 'surface' is the photosphere, a 500 km thick layer emitting visible light at approximately 5,500°C. Below it are the convective zone, radiative zone, and core where nuclear fusion occurs, while above are the chromosphere and corona, the latter being over 1 million °C. Sunspots, cooler areas on the photosphere caused by magnetic activity, still reach around 3,500°C, and solar flares can impact Earth’s technology.

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yasser.elbaroudi22
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24 views2 pages

Sun's Surface

The Sun's 'surface' is the photosphere, a 500 km thick layer emitting visible light at approximately 5,500°C. Below it are the convective zone, radiative zone, and core where nuclear fusion occurs, while above are the chromosphere and corona, the latter being over 1 million °C. Sunspots, cooler areas on the photosphere caused by magnetic activity, still reach around 3,500°C, and solar flares can impact Earth’s technology.

Uploaded by

yasser.elbaroudi22
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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☀️ Sun’s Surface – Class Notes

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📍 What Is the Sun’s Surface?


The Sun doesn’t have a solid surface like Earth.

What we call the “surface” is actually the photosphere – the visible outer layer of the Sun
that emits light.

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🔭 1. Photosphere (The "Surface")


Thickness: about 500 km.

Temperature: approx. 5,500°C (9,932°F).

Appears yellow-white to the naked eye.

It’s where most of the Sun’s visible light comes from.

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🌐 2. What’s Below the Surface?


Convective Zone – hot gases rise and fall, like boiling water.

Radiative Zone – energy travels very slowly outward by radiation.

Core – center of the Sun, where nuclear fusion happens.

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🔥 3. Above the Surface


Chromosphere – reddish layer just above the photosphere.

Corona – the Sun’s outer atmosphere, seen during a solar eclipse.


Hotter than the photosphere (over 1 million °C!).

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🌡️ Sunspot Features
Darker, cooler areas on the photosphere.

Caused by magnetic activity.

Still very hot: around 3,500°C.

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🧠 Fun Facts
Light from the photosphere takes about 8 minutes to reach Earth.

The photosphere has a granulated texture, due to convection cells.

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) originate just above the photosphere and
can affect Earth’s satellites and power grids.

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Let me know if you want a labeled diagram of the Sun's layers or a comparison to other
stars!

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