What area is known for emitting a white light from the sun's surface?

Prepare for the Spaatz Aerospace Exam. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Learn with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The corona is the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere and is known for emitting a white light that can be observed during a total solar eclipse. This white light is caused by the high temperatures in the corona, which can reach over a million degrees Celsius, leading to the emission of light at various wavelengths, including those that combine to form white light.

In contrast, the chromosphere, while also a layer of the sun's atmosphere, primarily emits a reddish light due to the presence of hydrogen in its thin gas. Sunspots appear darker than their surroundings due to being cooler areas on the sun's surface, and although they do emit light, it is not the characteristic white light associated with the corona. The ionosphere, while a crucial part of Earth's atmosphere, interacts with solar radiation but is not directly related to the emission from the sun's surface.

Overall, the unique properties of the corona, including its temperature and the type of radiation it emits, distinguish it as the area responsible for the white light observed from the sun.

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