1864 195K trace8.tif TIFF 2472 x 1864 2M Fountains of multimillion-degree, electrified gas in the atmosphere of the Sun have revealed the location where the solar atmosphere is heated to temperatures 300 times greater than the Sun's visible surface. Scientists are interested in the Sun's outer atmosphere, called the corona, because eruptive events occurring in this region can disrupt high-technology systems on Earth. Moreover, studies of the solar corona will help astronomers better understand other stars, which cannot be observed in as fine detail as the Sun. This image is a false color picture of ultraviolet light emitted by the hot gas that comprises the coronal loops. White represents the brightest ultraviolet light.
Earth is shown as a comparison.
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