photosphere
Sun's visible layer
The photosphere is the visible surface of the sun—the layer that emits the light we see.
Though the sun is gaseous throughout, the photosphere appears as a distinct boundary because gases below it are opaque and gases above it are transparent.
The term applies to other stars as well.
Sunspots and solar flares occur in the photosphere.
Luminous astronomical object
- stellarOf or like celestial bodies
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- nuclear fusionAtoms joining, releasing power
- magnitudeSize or scale
light-year · astronomer · telescope · binary star · red giant · white dwarf · main sequence · Fraunhofer lines
Star's outermost atmosphere
- granulationMaking into small grains
- sunspotDark stellar surface region
- plageSeaside bathing area
- spiculesSmall needle-like structures
opacity · ionization · plasma · hydrogen · helium · visible light · ultraviolet · spectral lines
Degree of light emitted
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
- glowSteady, soft light
- shineEmit or reflect light
- illuminationProvision of light
incandescence · effulgence · luminescence · irradiance · light · gleam · radiant · visible spectrum
Magnetic eruption from sunspots
- solar windContinuous stellar particle emission
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
- heliosphereSun-dominated space bubble
- space weatherSun-driven orbital environment conditions
star
Luminous astronomical object
- stellarOf or like celestial bodies
- spectroscopyStudy of light-matter interaction
- nuclear fusionAtoms joining, releasing power
magnitude · light-year · astronomer · telescope · binary star · red giant · white dwarf · main sequence · Fraunhofer lines
corona
Star's outermost atmosphere
- granulationMaking into small grains
- sunspotDark stellar surface region
- plageSeaside bathing area
spicules · opacity · ionization · plasma · hydrogen · helium · visible light · ultraviolet · spectral lines · thermonuclear
brightness
Degree of light emitted
illumination · incandescence · effulgence · luminescence · irradiance · light · gleam · radiant · visible spectrum
solar flare
Magnetic eruption from sunspots
- solar windContinuous stellar particle emission
- prominenceNotable status or visibility
- heliosphereSun-dominated space bubble
- spacespace, sun, moon, stars, star
- sunsol, solar, sunlight, sunspots, sunshine
- eclipseseclipse, solar eclipse, lunar eclipse, total eclipse, partial eclipse
- light spectrumvisible spectrum, spectrum, sunlight, visible light, white light
- starsstars, Sirius, Polaris, sol, sun
- plasmaplasma, ions, electrons, protons, charged particles
photospherecorona
Star's outermost atmosphere
chromosphere · solar wind · heliosphere · solar corona · inner core
photo, sphere, photograph, atmosphere, photos, spherical, hemisphere, spheroid, biosphere