The layer of the Sun above the convective zone where light is emitted

An outer layer of a star where most photons escape. The temperature of the photosphere is called the effective temperature of the star. Astronomers analyze the composition of the photosphere with a spectrograph and telescope in order to model the interior of the star.

light-emitting, visible surface of the Sun.

The layer of the Sun which is visible to us. It consists of a plasma and has a temperature of about 10,800°F (6,000°C).

the visible layer of the Sun's atmosphere.

The surface of the Sun that we see. It lies beneath the corona and the chromosphere. Sunspots are visible on the photosphere.

the thin layer of the Sun where the gas just becomes thin enough for the photons from the interior can escape to space. It is the ``surface'' of the Sun.

the intensely luminous surface of a star (especially the sun)

The lowest layer of the solar atmosphere; corresponds to the solar surface viewed in white light. Sunspots and faculae are observed in the photosphere.

The visible surface layer of the sun and stars; the layer from which continuous radiation escapes and where absorption lines form.

The visible surface of the Sun, lying just above the uppermost layer of the Sun's interior, and just below the chromosphere.

The visible surface of the sun from which most of its energy is emitted.

The lowest layer of the solar atmosphere, where the sun's visible spectrum of light (electromagnetic radiation) is released. It is visible "surface" we see in white-light images of the sun. ( go to first use in the text)

the visible surface of the Sun that emits the radiation that reaches Earth

The visible surface of the Sun. It consists of a zone in which the gaseous layers change from being completely opaque to radiation to being transparent. It is the layer from which the light we actually see (with the human eye) is emitted. more

the layer of a star that releases light and other energy into space.

The region of the solar (or a stellar) atmosphere from which continuous radiation escapes into space.

The visible surface of the Sun. Above it are the chromosphere, then the corona.

The 100-kilometer-thick gaseous outermost layer of the sun that emits virtually all of the sun’s visible light. Although the photosphere is sometimes called the "surface" of the sun, it is not solid. (TOP OF THE PAGE) (CLOSE WINDOW)

This is the visible surface of the Sun which has an effective temperature of 5800 K. The photosphere has a mottled appearance due to the convection (granulation). The edge of the visible surface is darker than the centre due to cooler material being seen towards the limb compared to the centre (limb darkening).

Intensely luminous surface layer of the Sun in which the sunspots and several other solar phenomena occur.

from the Greek photos, light. The lowest layer of the sun's atmosphere, it is the layer we see in visible light.

The visible region of the sun: above the photosphere are the chromosphere, then the corona.

The layer of the Sun from which all visible light reaches us. The Sun is too hot to have a solid surface and the photosphere consists of a plasma at about 6000 degrees centigrade.

the visible surface of a star: that is the layer from which the observed radiation comes.

Lowest part of Sun's atmosphere where sunspots are seen.

The visible surface of the Sun; the region of the solar atmosphere from which visible light escapes into space.

The visible surface of the sun. It consists of a zone of which the gaseous layers change of being totally opaque to the radiation to be transparent. It is the layer of which the light we really considers that (with the human eye) it is emitted.

The visible surface of the Sun; the upper surface of a convecting layer of gases in the outer portion of the sun whose temperature causes it to radiate light at visible wavelengths; sunspots and faculae are observed in the photosphere.

Visible surface of sun from which radiant energy is release.

(see image of " Parts of the Sun") The layer of the Sun from which the light we actually see (with the human eye) is emitted.

The intensely bright portion of the sun (or any other star) visible to the unaided eye. Although the sun appears to have a surface, the photosphere is actually a gaseous layer many hundreds of kilometers thick from which the light is emitted.

The intensely bright portion of the sun visible to the unaided eye; the "surface" of the sun. Reaching temperatures estimated at about 11,000°F, it is the portion of the sun's atmosphere which emits continuous electromagnetic radiation.

The luminous surface layer of the Sun.

The photosphere of an astronomical object is the region at which the optical depth becomes one for a photon of wavelength equal to 500 nanometers. (Photo means light, hence the term photosphere.) In other words, the photosphere is the region where an object stops being transparent to ordinary light.