Inside the Core #1
2 hydrogen-1 nuclei combine to form 1 hydrogen-2 nucleus, emitting a positive electron and a neutrino. The hydrogen-2 nucleus captures a proton to form a helium-3 nucleus, emitting a gamma ray. After one of several paths, a helium-4 nucleus is formed, emitting 2 neutrinos.
Proton-proton chain
The time it takes a photon to travel through the radiation zone.
Millions of years
The extremely hot and dense center of a star where thermonuclear fusion (hydrogen to helium) occurs.
Core
Super-heated hydrogen burns off, resulting in a reddish glow. The light emitted from this zone is usually not visible due to being overpowered by the photosphere's light.
Chromosphere
The main energy source for hot stars where carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen are used as catalysts. One hydrogen atom each is added to carbon-12, carbon-13, nitrogen-14, and nitrogen-15 (in this order). After the fourth hydrogen atom addition, carbon-12 and 4 helium-4 atoms are produced.
CNO cycle
The time it takes a photon to travel through the convection zone.
3 months
Energy is transported outwards through radiation. Photons scatter off of nuclei and electrons, losing some energy in the process. Matter in this zone is very dense.
Radiation zone
Ionized gas that flows out into outer space. As it cools, it becomes solar wind. This can only be seen during a total solar eclipse.
Corona
The heaviest element that can be produced through stellar nucleosynthesis (the limit).
Iron
The time it takes a photon to travel through the photosphere, chromosphere, corona, and to Earth (from the Sun's surface to Earth).
8 minutes 20 seconds
An unstable zone where energy is transported by a circular current created by hot plasma rising and cool plasma sinking.
Convection zone
Protons and neutrons from the nuclei of lighter elements are combined to form heavier elements within stars through fusion. This occurs under very hot temperatures where collisions between atoms are frequent, driving the process.
Stellar Nucleosynthesis
The lowest level of the Sun's atmosphere with bright bubbling plasma and cooler, darker sunspots.
Photosphere
The time it takes a photon to travel through a star's core.
170,000 years
The cooler, denser areas of the photosphere created when the Sun's magnetic field goes past the surface.
Sun spots