The Sun Our Nearest Star

The Solar Spectrum Image Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun

X-ray Yohkoh Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT). From an object ~ million Kelvin

Ultra-Violet Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). UV from highly charged Iron ions Brighter regions ~ 1 million Kelvin Darker are somewhat cooler

The Fraunhofer Spectrum Sourcehttp://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/sun/spectrum.html

Limb Darkening Source: NASA http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/surface.shtml

Sunspots Source: NASA http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/surface.shtml Life ~ days- weeks As large as 80,000 km Strong Magnetic Fields Usually in sets with Opposite magnetic Polarity 11 year cycle

Faculae Source: NASA http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/surface.shtml Hotter Regions Few thousands of kilometers

Granules Source: NASA http://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/surface.shtml ~ 1000 km 20 minutes

C0nvection Cells