Anatomy of the Sun – from Mysteries of the Sun
Image of the Sun with cut-away portion showing the solar interior with text descriptions of the regions as follows (from inner-most to outer-most):The Sun’s Core – Energy is generated via thermonuclear reactions creating extreme temperatures deep within the Sun’s core.The Radiative Zone – Energy moves slowly outward, taking more than 170,000 years to radiate through this layer of the Sun.The Convection Zone – Energy continues to move toward the surface through convection currents of the heated and cooled gas.The Chromosphere – This relatively thin layer of the Sun is sculpted by magnetic field lines that restrain the electrically charged solar plasma. Occasionally larger plasma features, called prominences, form and extend far into the very tenuous and hot corona, sometimes ejecting material away from the Sun.The Corona – The ionized elements within the corona (or solar atmosphere) glow in the x-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelengths. NASA instruments can image the Sun’s corona at these higher energies since the photosphere is quite dim in these wavelength.
Coronal Streamers – The outward flowing plasma of the corona is shaped by magnetic field lines into tapered forms called coronal streamers, which extend millions of miles into space.
This image is featured on the Mysteries of the Sun website and companion book. Credit: NASA/Jenny Mottar