The Photosphere
We can easily keep track of sunspots which are the most obvious feature in the photosphere.
Virtually all of the light we get from the Sun comes from the photosphere, hence the name. The
photosphere is only a few hundred kilometers thick. In comparison, that is three times thinner than the
skin of an apple. Think about that! All of the sunlight you see comes from that thin skin.
The photosphere has a temperature of just below 6,000 Kelvin. The photosphere displays granulation which is
evidence of convection currents below the surface. Here is a nice time lapse movie of solar granules. Granules are generally
about the size of the state of Texas. They are not unlike the altocumulus clouds that form in our atmosphere; much larger, of
course. Granules in the photosphere occasionally grow up to become sunspots.