layers of the sun's atmosphere

outermost to innermost

corona

• outermost layer of atmosphere

• extends several million km above visible surface of the sun

• emits most of sun’s x-rays

• creates northern lights

chromosphere

• middle layer of solar atmosphere

• radiates most of UV light

• shows up during solar eclipse

photosphere

• lowest layer of atmosphere

• visible surface of the sun

• has sunspots

• makes sunlight we are familiar with

convection zone

• where energy generated in the solar core travels upward

• rising of hot gas and falling of cool gas

• light is turned into heat & flows outward to photosphere

radiative zone

• where energy moves outward in the form of photons of light

• where nuclear energy from the core flows out as electromagnetic radiation

core

• source of sun’s energy

• nuclear fusion transforms hydrogen into helium

• hottest of all layers