Energy is carried through this zone by electromagnetic radiation in form of packets of energy called photons. Temperature is about 5-10 million Kelvin.

Hot blobs of plasma rise, release energy, and cool. The plasma then drops down to heat again. This sets up convection currents. This zone extends to the surface of the Sun. The temperature peaks at about 2 million Kelvin.

Surface of the Sun that shows

granulation and sun spots. Below this layer, the photons

bounce too much to be seen. They escape

the surface as heat and light.

Temperature is about 5800 Kelvin.

Lower layer of the Sun’s atmosphere that is directly above the surface. The temperature increases from about 4,300–50,000 Kelvin. The magnetic fields in the atmosphere speed up the plasma as energy is transferred to it.

Chromosphere

Lumps on the surface caused by convection of plasma. Each one is several hundred to a thousand km across. The centers are lighter and hotter while the edges are darker and cooler

The upper layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. It can be seen as a fuzzy area around the Sun during solar eclipses. The temperature ranges from 80,000 to 3 million Kelvin.

•Sun spots

•Solar flares

•Solar Prominences

Sunspots are cooler areas on the Sun's surface and associated with strong, local magnetic activity. The spots, which are about 4,500 K, look dark because of the contrast with the surrounding surface, which is much hotter. Tend to have an 11- year cycle of activity.

Caused by sudden magnetic field changes. They're a release of gas, electrons, visible light, ultraviolet light, and x-rays. When this radiation and these particles reach the Earth's magnetic field, they interact with it at the poles to produce the auroras. They can also disrupt communications, satellites, navigation systems, and power grids.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rWB-lhUj-8 Solar flare video http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46664100/ns/technology_and_science-space/video

Solar Prominences Clouds of gases will rise

and align themselves along the magnetic lines

from sunspot pairs forming giant arches of

gas. They can last two to three months and can

extend 50,000 km or more above the Sun's surface.

Upon reaching this height, they can erupt for a few minutes to months.

1. Core 6. Corona2. Radiation zone 7. Sunspot3. Convection zone 8. Granules4. Photosphere 9. Prominence5. Chromosphere 10. Solar flare