The chromosphere is a rather interesting layer of the sun.This layer is characterized by its color as well as the prominences that it shoots out into the corona. Even though it is not readily visible, we find the chromosphere truly amazing!Did you know that the chromosphere is the layer of the sun’s atmosphere where it is closest to the surface? It is located between the photosphere and the corona. Chromosphere means ‘sphere of color’ in Greek, and it gets its name from its characteristic red hue. The chromosphere is made up of dense gas, which makes it hotter than the photosphere. There are many more factors that contribute to its hue as well as its properties.One of the most interesting facts about the layers of the sun is that nearly all light that we see from the sun comes from its surface, called the photosphere. Corona is also influenced by the radiative zone and the magnetic field of the Earth! Let’s discuss some interesting facts about the chromosphere!Facts About ChromosphereThe Sun is the center of our Solar System and for this reason, human beings have always been fascinated to know more about it. The sun’s chromosphere is one such part of the outer layers of the sun, which is intriguing as well as very beautiful to look at.Sun’s chromosphere is the second layer of its atmosphere. It appears as a boundary of red glow during a solar eclipseThis comparatively thin layer is wedged between the photosphere and corona.The chromosphere is characterized by a blazing red color.The red color is imparted by the alpha hydrogen which this layer is composed of.One of the greatest facts about the chromosphere is that even though it is now visible to scientists through the aid of many tools, it was initially only seen during a solar eclipse.During a solar eclipse, the chromosphere would peak out around the blackened disc and provide the characteristic redlining that we expect to see around the sun during such an event.It is one of the many important layers of the sun.The chromosphere is also referred to as the lower atmosphere of the sun.It is followed by the corona.Temperature increases as we move inwards from the chromosphere.The sun’s core is undoubtedly its hottest portion.The composition of the chromosphere and the light that it emits is a result of the nuclear reactions that take place in the sun’s core.This is also the factor that creates the immense amount of light that the sun provides to Earth and the other planets of the solar systemOne of the fun facts about this central figure of our Solar System is that the core consists of about half of the sun’s mass.Studies have even been able to show the magnetic field elements contained within the chromosphere.The chromosphere is believed to be one of the key factors that result in the conduction of heat from the sun’s core to its outermost layer, that is, the corona.This is shown through the seismic waves which travel from the chromosphere to the corona.Right below the chromosphere lies the photosphere, which gives out solar flares and electromagnetic waves.However, one of the most intriguing things about the chromosphere is that its temperature is more than that of the photosphere.The chromosphere’s temperatures vary from around 11,000 F (6,093.3 C) nearest the photosphere to about 7200 F (3982.2 C) a couple of hundred miles higher up.Chromosphere’s PropertiesEven though the chromosphere is not the visible surface of the sun, it does have some very insightful and intriguing properties which must be looked into!Several features can be seen in the chromosphere, including plages, filaments, and prominences.Plages are bright areas that appear on the surface of the sun.  These commonly appear around active regions in the chromosphere.Filaments are thin strands of gas that extend into the chromosphere from the photosphere.Prominences are large, gas eruptions that can be seen above the chromosphere.Typically, temperature decreases as we move away from the sun’s core, but the chromosphere seems to be an anomaly to the thumb rule.After showing a steady decrease in temperatures as we move from the core towards the photosphere, the temperature seems to rise quickly as we approach the chromosphere.This essentially means that the chromosphere is hotter than the photosphere, which is odd since it is closer to the core.The sun is also known for its extremely strong magnetic fields.These magnetic fields cause spicules of hot gasses or plasma to shoot up high into the chromosphere.The spicules are often so intense that they travel up into the corona as well.One of the fascinating and rather terrifying things is that the energy that escapes from the chromosphere also has an impact on Earth.When such bursts of energy travel up to the corona and beyond it, power outages are caused in the Earth.This is because of the gravity that the sun has!The chromosphere is informally referred to as a layer of low plasma density.The radiative zone of the sun has a plasma density that is many times greater.Spicules are generated in the first place because of the tenuousness of the plasma in the sun’s chromosphere.Plasma, in the form of dancing flames, is often sent out from the chromosphere.Despite the low plasma density and red light, the sun’s visible surface is not the chromosphere but the photosphere.The solar wind of the sun is produced in the convection layer. It is essentially a stream of charged particles cast from the corona.The photosphere is the lowest layer of the sun’s atmosphere.The chromosphere is also characterized by sunspots.Sunspots are parts of the sun wherein the magnetic field is thousands of times stronger than that of the Earth.In addition to solar flares and plasma spicules, the sun’s chromosphere is also characterized by the heat it brings to the sun’s surface.The plasma spicules are referred to by scientists as coronal mass ejections or CMEs.The CMEs could turn out to be a real threat to Earth’s energy sources in the future when the magnetic field and plasma energy increases.Junwei Zhao was the scientist who managed to learn about this layer of the sun’s atmosphere through a study of sunspots.The reddish glow of the chromosphere is a product of the hydrogen that gets superheated in the layer.The temperature of the chromosphere ranges from 6000-8000 K.The temperature drops as we move towards the photosphere.There are many super granules in the chromosphere.These super-granules are understood to be the clusters formed by the sun’s magnetic field.The super-granules may be both light and dark spots!Chromosphere’s SignificanceLike all the other layers of the sun, even the chromosphere has much significance in the working of the giant star!The chromosphere lies directly above the visible surface of the sun, namely the photosphere.It was first observed during a solar eclipse.It tells us a lot about the sun’s magnetic field and its radiative zone.The chromosphere is made up of alpha hydrogen.In simple words, in this layer, the hydrogen atoms become extremely hot and energized.They absorb energy from the layer that lies just below!As a result, they burn off and emit the most stunning reddish hue.This is why the chromosphere is red.The chromosphere can be viewed if all except the red wavelength of light is filtered out through devices.The most significant role played by the chromosphere may be conducting heat from the core to the corona.The phenomenon through which the temperature of the chromosphere is greater than the photosphere is also quite interesting.Some scientists believe that when a part of the magnetic field gets displaced in the procedure of prominence formation, it would attempt to return to its shape.To go back to its original shape, it oscillates.Due to this oscillation, the temperature rises in the chromosphere layer of the sun.The formation of spicules in the chromosphere is not a rare event.As many as 100,000 spicules can be seen at any given time if you have been using the right equipment!The chromosphere is about 1242.7 mi (2000 km) thick and is around 1864.1-3107 mi (3,000-5,000 km) deep.

The chromosphere is a rather interesting layer of the sun.