The Sun's Heated Invisible Outer Layers (FeIX/X at 17.1 nm)

The Sun Now July 25, 2008 1:00	Compare to Active Sun
Image Credit: Courtesy of SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA.
What layer does the light come from?
About the images: An image of the 1 million degree Celsius hot gases in the Sun's outer atmosphere taken by the SOHO spacecraft. This light is emitted by ionized iron atoms that have lost 8 or 9 out of 26 electrons.
What to look for: Iron atoms reach this state of ionization only at extremely high temperatures so we are viewing gases heated over active regions. Dark areas in these photos are cooler less dense regions called coronal holes.

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