The photosphere is not a solid surface, rather it is comprised of a thin layer of very low density gas from which the earth obtains the majority of the sun's light. We cannot receive light from layers of the sun deeper than the photosphere because even though those layers have denser and hotter gas that gives off an abundance of light, that light cannot escape the sun's gaseous exterior. The sun does not rotate as a solid body, rather it appears to have throbbing motions that cover the photosphere as a result of sound waves. It is the goal of helioseismologists to follow these sound waves that bounce around inside the sun in order to find the magnetic field below the sun's surface. The photosphere is covered with areas of bright and dark gas called granulation which indicate convection currents below the photospheric layer.
Convection occurs when hot gas rises and cool gas sinks.
A typical granule exists for 5 to 10 minutes and then dissipates so that a new one can rise up. Above the photosphere resides the chromosphere, composed of an almost invisible layer of gas which cannot be observed very distinctly. However, during an eclipse when the photosphere is concealed by the moon, the reddish colored chromosphere can be observed through a hydrogen-alpha filter. The chromosphere is cooler in temperature than the photoshere. Occasionally, solar storms erupt, emitting streams of flame-like structures called spicules.