chromosphere

noun chro·mo·sphere \ ˈkrō-mə-ˌsfir \

|Updated on: 12 Jun 2018

Definition of chromosphere

: the region of the atmosphere of a star (such as the sun) between the star's photosphere and its corona

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chromospheric

play \ˌkrō-mə-ˈsfir-ik, -ˈsfer-\ adjective

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Recent Examples of chromosphere from the Web

But because Earth would cover more of the space surrounding the sun, lunar residents wouldn’t be able to see the chromosphere — the fiery region of high-energy flares ejecting from the sun’s surface.

— matthew cappucci, Washington Post, "A stunning solar eclipse visits the moon Wednesday during the lunar eclipse on Earth," 30 Jan. 2018
Eclipses can help researchers explore the difficult-to-see chromosphere—a thin layer at the base of the sun’s corona.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Will You See August’s Great Eclipse? This New Tool Helps You Find Out," 21 June 2017
Eclipses can help researchers explore the difficult-to-see chromosphere—a thin layer at the base of the sun’s corona.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Will You See August’s Great Eclipse? This New Tool Helps You Find Out," 21 June 2017
Eclipses can help researchers explore the difficult-to-see chromosphere—a thin layer at the base of the sun’s corona.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Will You See August’s Great Eclipse? This New Tool Helps You Find Out," 21 June 2017
Eclipses can help researchers explore the difficult-to-see chromosphere—a thin layer at the base of the sun’s corona.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Will You See August’s Great Eclipse? This New Tool Helps You Find Out," 21 June 2017
Eclipses can help researchers explore the difficult-to-see chromosphere—a thin layer at the base of the sun’s corona.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "Will You See August’s Great Eclipse? This New Tool Helps You Find Out," 21 June 2017
While the videographers are at work, Zurbuchen will be operating a handheld spectrometer to analyze the sun’s chromosphere and corona — the wispy, outer atmosphere that is only visible during a total eclipse.

— sandi doughton, The Seattle Times, "NASA research plane will fly from Seattle for eclipse mission," 11 Aug. 2017
The spicules surge thousands of miles high, passing through the chromosphere and into the sun’s corona before collapsing.

— nicholas st. fleur, New York Times, "Solving the Scorching Mystery of the Sun’s Erupting Plasma Jets," 23 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chromosphere.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of chromosphere

chromo- + ¹sphere

Note: Term introduced by the English astronomer J. Norman Lockyer (1836-1920) in "Spectroscopic Observations of the Sun. No. II…Read November 19 and 26, 1868," Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 159 for the year 1869, p. 430.

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First Known Use: 1868

in the meaning defined above

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