Solar atmosphere · ~5,772 K
The Photosphere
The visible surface of the Sun — the layer from which sunlight escapes — with an effective temperature near 5,772 kelvin and a thickness of only a few hundred kilometres. Sunspots, granulation, and the limb darkening seen in white-light images all belong to the photosphere. It is the reference surface for the Sun's radius.
Highlights
- ›The visible surface, ~5,772 K
The Sun, its layers & phenomena
Across solar physics
Knowledge connections
- Associated withThe Convection Zone
- Associated withThe Sun
- Associated withThe Convection Zone
- Associated withThe Chromosphere
- Associated withSunspots
- Associated withGranulation
- Associated withThe Chromosphere
- Associated withGranulation
- Associated withSupergranulation
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.