Untitled Flashcards Set

Core

The innermost layer of the Sun where nuclear fusion occurs.

Radiative Zone

Layer surrounding the core where energy is transferred outward by radiation.

Convective Zone

Outer layer of the Sun's interior where energy is transferred by convection.

Photosphere

The visible surface of the Sun that emits light.

Chromosphere

The layer above the photosphere that appears during solar eclipses.

Corona

The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, visible during solar eclipses.

Sunspots

Cooler, darker areas on the Sun's surface caused by magnetic fields.

Solar Flares

Sudden bursts of energy on the Sun's surface.

Prominences

Loops of gas that extend from the surface of the Sun.

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

Massive blasts of solar particles released from the Sun.

Solar Wind

A stream of charged particles that flows from the Sun and can affect Earth.

Luminosity

The measure of the energy output of a star.

Spectral Classification

Classification of stars based on their temperatures and colors, from O (hottest) to M (coolest).

Hertzsprung–Russell Diagram

Graph that plots stars' temperatures against their luminosities.

Main Sequence

A diagonal band on the H-R Diagram where most stars, including the Sun, are located.

Red Giants

Stars located in the top right of the H-R Diagram, typically cooler and larger.

Supergiants

Stars in the top center of the H-R Diagram, very luminous and large.

White Dwarfs

Small, dense remnants of low to medium mass stars located in the bottom left of the H-R Diagram.

Nebula

A giant cloud of gas and dust where stars are born.

Neutron Star

A dense stellar remnant formed from the collapse of a supernova.

Black Hole

A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape from it, formed from very massive stars.

Spectroscope

An instrument that analyzes starlight to determine a star’s composition and temperature.

Telescope

An instrument that views and magnifies celestial objects.

Light Curve

A graph that shows changes in a star’s brightness over time.

H-R Diagram

Compares temperature and brightness of stars

structure of sun intermost to outermost

→Core

→ Radiative Zone

→ Convective Zone

→ Photosphere

→ Chromosphere

→ Corona