The Sun
•No solid surface
•Has three layers of atmosphere
•Corona, Photosphere, and
Chromosphere
•Three interior layers
•Core, Radiation Zone, Convection Zone
Layers of the Sun
•CORE: central region, energy
produced from nuclear fusion
(15,000,000C)
•RADIATION ZONE: tightly
packed gas, very dense, takes
energy from core over 100,000
years to move through this layer
(4,000,000C)
•CONVECTION ZONE: outer layer
of Sun’s interior, hot gases cool as
they approach the top forming
loops of gas (4,000,000C)
Atmosphere of the Sun
•PHOTOSPHERE: inner layer
of Sun’s atmosphere,
considered Sun’s surface layer
•CHROMOSPHERE: middle
layer of Sun’s atmosphere,
reddish glow during total
eclipse
•CORONA: outer layer of
Sun’s atmosphere, extends for
millions of kilometers, and
turns into solar wind
More on the Sun
•SUNSPOTS: areas of gas on
the sun’s surface that are
cooler than the gas around
them (dark spots on sun)
•PROMINENCES: groups of
sunspots
•SOLAR FLARES: eruption of
prominences that release large
amount of magnetic energy
•SOLAR WIND: movement of
energy from solar flares into
the solar system
Label the different parts of the
sun