chromosphere

American  

[kroh-muh-sfeer] / ˈkroʊ məˌsfɪər /

noun

Astronomy.

1. a scarlet, gaseous envelope surrounding the sun outside the photosphere, from which enormous quantities of hydrogen and other gases are erupted.

2. a gaseous envelope surrounding a star.

---

chromosphere British  

/ ˈkrəʊməˌsfɪə, ˌkrəʊməˈsfɛrɪk /

noun

1. a gaseous layer of the sun's atmosphere extending from the photosphere to the corona and visible during a total eclipse of the sun

---

chromosphere Scientific  

/ krō′mə-sfîr′ /

1. A glowing, transparent layer of gas surrounding the photosphere of a star. The Sun's chromosphere is several thousand kilometers thick, is composed mainly of hydrogen at temperatures of 6,000° to 20,000°K, and gives off reddish light.

---

Other Word Forms

• chromospheric adjective

Etymology

Origin of chromosphere

First recorded in 1865–70; chromo- + -sphere

Example Sentences

And last month the agency released the first-ever full-disk images of the Sun in wavelengths ranging from 200 to 400 nanometres, saying they provided "insights into the intricate details of the Sun's photosphere and chromosphere".

From BBC • Jan. 5, 2024

The spacecraft is equipped with seven payloads to study the sun’s corona, chromosphere, photosphere and solar wind, the Indian Space Research Organization said.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2023

The hot, outer layers of its atmosphere known as the chromosphere appeared to be missing.

From Scientific American • Dec. 23, 2019

Unlike the chromosphere, the corona has been known for many centuries: it was referred to by the Roman historian Plutarch and was discussed in some detail by Kepler.

From Textbooks • Oct. 13, 2016

Slender columns can ordinarily be seen to connect the surface of the chromosphere with its outlying portions.

From A Popular History of Astronomy During the Nineteenth Century Fourth Edition by Clerke, Agnes M. (Agnes Mary)