What are the different layers of the sun?

The sun, our closest star, is a giant, luminous ball of plasma. Like any other star, it has different layers, each with its own characteristics and functions. The sun's layers are divided into three main regions: the interior, the atmosphere, and the corona.

The Interior

The sun's interior is where nuclear fusion occurs. It is the core of the sun, where temperatures and pressures are extremely high, and where protons come together to form helium atoms. This process releases energy in the form of light and heat. The energy produced in the core is transported to the surface by radiation and convection.

The Atmosphere

Around the core, the sun has a region called the radiative zone. In this layer, energy is transported by photons. Above the radiative zone, there is a layer called the convective zone, where energy is transported by the movement of hot plasma. The visible surface of the sun, called the photosphere, is the top layer of the atmosphere. This is the layer where the light we see is emitted. The photosphere is surrounded by a layer called the chromosphere, which is only visible during a total solar eclipse.

The Corona

The outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere is the corona. This is the layer that we can see during a total solar eclipse. The corona is made up of extremely hot plasma, and its temperature can reach millions of degrees. Scientists are still studying why the corona is so hot.

The Sun is made up of several different layers, each with its own unique characteristics. The inner layers are the core, radiative zone, and convection zone. The outer layers are the photosphere, chromosphere, transition region, and corona.

• The core is the hottest and densest layer of the Sun. It is where nuclear fusion takes place, converting hydrogen into helium. The temperature in the core is about 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees Fahrenheit).
• The radiative zone is the layer between the core and the convection zone. It is much cooler than the core, with temperatures ranging from about 2 million to 7 million degrees Celsius (3.6 million to 12.6 million degrees Fahrenheit). Energy from the core is transported to the surface of the Sun through this layer by radiation.
• The convection zone is the layer between the radiative zone and the photosphere. It is the layer where energy from the Sun is transported to the surface by convection. Convection is the movement of heat by the movement of fluids. In the convection zone, hot plasma rises to the surface and cool plasma sinks to the bottom.
• The photosphere is the visible surface of the Sun. It is the layer where we see the Sun's light. The temperature in the photosphere is about 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,940 degrees Fahrenheit).
• The chromosphere is the layer above the photosphere. It is a thin layer, only about 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) thick. The temperature in the chromosphere is about 10,000 degrees Celsius (18,000 degrees Fahrenheit).
• The transition region is the layer between the chromosphere and the corona. It is a very thin layer, only about 100 kilometers (60 miles) thick. The temperature in the transition region increases rapidly from about 10,000 degrees Celsius (18,000 degrees Fahrenheit) to about 1 million degrees Celsius (1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit).
• The corona is the outermost layer of the Sun. It is a very hot layer, with temperatures reaching millions of degrees Celsius (millions of degrees Fahrenheit). The corona is not visible to the naked eye, but it can be seen during a solar eclipse.

The Sun is a very complex object, and scientists are still learning about its many layers and features.