Question

1. Imagine that you are traveling in a spaceship to the center of the Sun. Your ship’s shields protect you from heat, radiation, and intense gravity. You have sensors to gather images and information. What would you observe in each of the Sun's regions, beginning at the innermost layer? What is happening in each layer? Answer thoroughly. Be sure to describe each region.

Answer 1

Explanation:

The innermost layer of the Sun is called as core. This can be called as the factory of the Sun where nuclear fusion of Hydrogen molecules result in formation of Helium and thus release a huge amount of energy in the form of light and heat. Here the temperature is around 15 million kelvin. It extends up to a distance of 86000 miles from center of the Sun.

The next layer is Radiative zone which extends up to 319000 miles. Here the temperature is 7million kelvin near the core to 2 million kelvin near the next layer. Here the energy is transferred through radiation process and it may take around 170000 years for the photons to cross this zone as they move in zigzag paths.

The next layer is Convective zone where the energy is transferred through convection process. This extends up to 432000 miles. The temperature changes from 2 million kelvin to around 6500 kelvin.

Then comes the Photosphere which is also called as the surface of the Sun because this is the layer of the Sun we can see normally. It extends up to 250miles from the end of convective zone. The temperature varies from 6500 K at the bottom to 4000K at the top.

The next layer is Chromosphere. This is normally invisible as the photosphere is too bright. But can be seen or photographed during the annular solar eclipse. It extends up to 1300 miles and has a temperature range of 4000K to 8000K.

Then comes a transition region of around 60miles. Here the temperature reaches up to 500000K.

After which lies the Corona. This is the outermost layer of the Sun with no upper limit. It can be said that the whole solar system is inside the corona of the Sun. The temperature here rise rapidly reaching up to a few million kelvin. The reason for this rise in the temperature in corona is still unknown.