Simac

By Simac

Snakebite

The two sunspots look as though something has bitten the Sun.
They were bigger and much more active whilst around the other side. What we see of the Sun as its 'surface' is known as the photosphere but this is only one layer seen in visible light. At other wavelengths we are able to see other levels above the photosphere.
Of interest here are two phenomena, sunspots and faculae. The sunspots appear darker than the photosphere because they are much cooler than it (3,700 C as against 5,500 C), although if they could be seen separately from the Sun they would shine very brightly. They are caused by the Sun's magnetic field breaking through the surface and disrupting the upwelling of heat.
Faculae are the brighter 'cellulite' that can be seen at the Sun's limbs. They are always associated with sunspots but can appear independently of them. Whereas sunspots tend to be depressions in the photosphere, faculae are always at a slightly higher level than it. They are are usually about 800 C hotter than the average photosphere. Faculae are seen at the edge, or limb, of the Sun because of limb darkening. This is caused because the Sun is gaseous and towards the limb we look more obliquely through cooler layers rather than directly down on where the heat (and light) is produced.
There will be a test tomorrow, you will not require a calculator.

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