solar surface & below

on and around the solar surface

how thick is the solar surface?

the turbulent photosphere

the sphere of colour - chromosphere

prominences are 'cool'

giant eruptions from the Sun

the sphere of colour - chromosphere

Just above the photosphere, there is a layer of plasma where the temperature rises from 6,000 ^oC up to 20,000 ^oC. This layer is called the chromosphere. The chromosphere can be seen briefly during a total solar eclipse as a flash of red - hence the name.

Here is a picture of the Sun taken at a particular wavelength of light: 656.3 nm. This wavelength is associated with hydrogen atoms and is known as H-alpha. This reddish H-alpha light comes mainly from the chromosphere.

The dark patches in the picture are solar prominences.



		Here, when the Sun is blocked out, you can see the beautiful red colours of the prominences in the chromosphere.



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