They are visible because of the hot, glowing ionized gas that is trapped around them. The production of sunspots , prominences , and flares results from the interaction of the sun's magnetic field, its differential rotation, and its convection. A newly discovered phenomenon, the CME, or coronal mass ejection , is frequently associated with flares and sunspots, as well. Sunspots Sunspots are small areas on the sun that appear darker because they are 1500-2000K cooler than the average 5800K surface temperature of the sun. They are able to maintain their cooler temperatures because of the effective outward pressure of that strong magnetic field.
Sunspots usually appear in pairs of opposite magnetic polarity .
Sunspots are the most visibly recognized feature on the surface of the sun, but the energy contained in them is relatively minor. They typically last for a few weeks to a couple of months. Prominences As a magnetic field line arches out from the body of the sun and into the chromosphere, ionized atoms and electrons nearby become trapped into orbiting tightly around them. These charged particles glow from their high temperatures, and because more of them have become concentrated right around the magnetic field line, they outline it with their light. This glowing arch is called a prominence .