The Sun's atmosphere

Does the Sun have a surface?

"Of course," we might answer, "what a question!" However, we should also consider that our Sun - like all other stars - is a ball of hot gas. This gas ball, with a diameter of 0.9 million miles, is held together by gravity alone. This means that the Sun does not have a firm surface.
This photograph shows the Sun's corona, which only becomes visible to the unaided observer during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon.

This photograph shows the Sun's corona, which only becomes visible to the unaided observer during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon.

Nevertheless, the Sun appears to us as a shining sphere with a sharp edge. The reason for this is that the sunlight we observe without any aids originates in a relatively thin layer. This layer, known as the photosphere, is only a few hundred miles thick. It therefore makes sense to talk about the visible surface of the Sun.

The various layers of the Sun's atmosphere

The Sun's surface would no longer look at all smooth and round if our eyes could perceive ultraviolet radiation and X-rays. In these radiation ranges it becomes clear how the solar magnetic field continuously changes the shape of the Sun's atmosphere: features in motion on the Sun's surface, explosions of radiation and streams of matter which speed out into space for tens of thousand of miles. This layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, which can be observed with ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes, lies above the photosphere and is called the chromosphere.

The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, the corona, can only be seen with the naked eye during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon. The corona is a 'crown of rays' with a temperature of over a million degrees Celsius, which usually has an asymmetric form – depending on the Sun's activity.

German Aerospace Center
The Sun's atmosphere - Does the Sun have a surface? | Redshift live

The Sun's atmosphere

Does the Sun have a surface?

"Of course," we might answer, "what a question!" However, we should also consider that our Sun - like all other stars - is a ball of hot gas. This gas ball, with a diameter of 0.9 million miles, is held together by gravity alone. This means that the Sun does not have a firm surface.
This photograph shows the Sun's corona, which only becomes visible to the unaided observer during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon.

This photograph shows the Sun's corona, which only becomes visible to the unaided observer during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon.

Nevertheless, the Sun appears to us as a shining sphere with a sharp edge. The reason for this is that the sunlight we observe without any aids originates in a relatively thin layer. This layer, known as the photosphere, is only a few hundred miles thick. It therefore makes sense to talk about the visible surface of the Sun.

The various layers of the Sun's atmosphere

The Sun's surface would no longer look at all smooth and round if our eyes could perceive ultraviolet radiation and X-rays. In these radiation ranges it becomes clear how the solar magnetic field continuously changes the shape of the Sun's atmosphere: features in motion on the Sun's surface, explosions of radiation and streams of matter which speed out into space for tens of thousand of miles. This layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, which can be observed with ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes, lies above the photosphere and is called the chromosphere.

The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, the corona, can only be seen with the naked eye during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon. The corona is a 'crown of rays' with a temperature of over a million degrees Celsius, which usually has an asymmetric form – depending on the Sun's activity.

German Aerospace Center
» print article
Related articles:
This picture was made using the Swedish Solar Telescope in its first year of operation (2002) on the Canary Island of La Palma.
The Sharpest View of the Sun

Fascinating Sunspots

» go to article
Search
Astronomy Software

Solar Eclipse by Redshift

Solar Eclipse by Redshift for iOS

Observe, understand, and marvel at the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017! » more

Solar Eclipse by Redshift

Solar Eclipse by Redshift for Android

Observe, understand, and marvel at the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017! » more

Redshift 8 Premium

Redshift 8 Premium - Download Edition (Multilingua Edition)

Explore the universe from your PC with the award-winning and professional planetarium software - Languages: German, English, French
 » more

Redshift 8 Premium DL deutsch/engl 2

Redshift 8 Premium - Update from older versions

Update from Redshift 7 or older to the current version of the professional planetarium software - Languages: German, English, French
 » more

Redshift 8 Compact

Redshift 8 Compact - Download Edition

The professional planetarium software for beginners » more

The Sun's atmosphere

Does the Sun have a surface?

"Of course," we might answer, "what a question!" However, we should also consider that our Sun - like all other stars - is a ball of hot gas. This gas ball, with a diameter of 0.9 million miles, is held together by gravity alone. This means that the Sun does not have a firm surface.
This photograph shows the Sun's corona, which only becomes visible to the unaided observer during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon.

This photograph shows the Sun's corona, which only becomes visible to the unaided observer during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon.

Nevertheless, the Sun appears to us as a shining sphere with a sharp edge. The reason for this is that the sunlight we observe without any aids originates in a relatively thin layer. This layer, known as the photosphere, is only a few hundred miles thick. It therefore makes sense to talk about the visible surface of the Sun.

The various layers of the Sun's atmosphere

The Sun's surface would no longer look at all smooth and round if our eyes could perceive ultraviolet radiation and X-rays. In these radiation ranges it becomes clear how the solar magnetic field continuously changes the shape of the Sun's atmosphere: features in motion on the Sun's surface, explosions of radiation and streams of matter which speed out into space for tens of thousand of miles. This layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, which can be observed with ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes, lies above the photosphere and is called the chromosphere.

The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere, the corona, can only be seen with the naked eye during a total solar eclipse. Then, the light from the photosphere is fully masked by the Moon. The corona is a 'crown of rays' with a temperature of over a million degrees Celsius, which usually has an asymmetric form – depending on the Sun's activity.

German Aerospace Center
» print article

Search
Astronomy Software

Solar Eclipse by Redshift

Solar Eclipse by Redshift for iOS

Observe, understand, and marvel at the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017! » more

Solar Eclipse by Redshift

Solar Eclipse by Redshift for Android

Observe, understand, and marvel at the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017! » more