Here's a breakdown:
* Photosphere: This is the visible surface of the sun. It's about 400 kilometers thick and has a temperature around 5,500°C (9,932°F). This is the layer where the sun's energy is released as light and heat.
* Chromosphere: This is a layer above the photosphere, extending about 2,000 kilometers. It's much hotter than the photosphere, reaching temperatures up to 20,000°C (36,000°F). The chromosphere emits mostly ultraviolet radiation, which is not visible to the naked eye.
* Corona: This is the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere, extending millions of kilometers into space. It's extremely hot, reaching temperatures of millions of degrees Celsius. The corona emits X-rays and other high-energy radiation.
While we can see the photosphere, it's the chromosphere and corona that are responsible for the amazing solar events like flares and coronal mass ejections that can be observed with specialized instruments.
