Explore a schematic cutaway of the Sun: core fusion region, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, and corona halo. Click layers or use the buttons to read temperatures and roles.
Core ~15.7 million K (fusion). Radiative zone carries energy outward by radiation. Convective zone shows boiling plasma. Photosphere ~5,772 K is the visible surface. Corona ~1-3 million K is hotter than the photosphere - a real puzzle noted briefly.
Drag to orbit and scroll or pinch to zoom. Press Core / Radiative / Convective / Photosphere / Corona / All, or click a colored shell in the cutaway.
Sun Structure 3D Explorer
This browser explorer shows a schematic cutaway of the Sun - not a hydrodynamics visualization. Concentric hemispheres mark the main interior layers and a soft corona halo outside.
The core reaches about 15.7 million K where fusion occurs. The radiative zone moves energy outward by radiation. The convective zone is boiling plasma. The photosphere at ~5,772 K is the visible surface. The corona at ~1-3 million K is the outer atmosphere - hotter than the photosphere, a real puzzle disclosed briefly.
Press Core, Radiative, Convective, Photosphere, Corona, or All to highlight each layer. Click shells in the 3D view for the same facts panel.
- Core ~15.7 million K fusion region at the center
- Radiative zone - energy outward by radiation
- Convective zone - boiling plasma cells
- Photosphere ~5,772 K visible surface
- Corona ~1-3 million K soft halo outside
- Layer highlight buttons and clickable cutaway shells
- Facts panel with temperatures and schematic honesty note
- Runs fully in the browser with the vendored three.js engine - no account, no upload
Students compare interior layers; teachers demo solar structure without a textbook diagram; curious readers see why the corona is hotter than the surface.
| Layer | Figure | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ~15.7 million K | Fusion region |
| Radiative zone | Radiation transport | Photon diffusion region |
| Convective zone | Boiling plasma | Convection carries heat up |
| Photosphere | ~5,772 K | Visible disk |
| Corona | ~1-3 million K | Hotter outer atmosphere |
Everything renders on your device with WebGL. The 3D engine loads once (about 0.7 MB) and is cached; no scene data is sent to a server.
This is an educational cutaway schematic - not a hydrodynamics visualization.
For a step-by-step walkthrough, read the Sun Structure 3D Explorer step-by-step guide. The Space 3D collection also includes HR Diagram 3D and Star Lifecycle 3D.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Sun Structure 3D Explorer show?
A schematic cutaway of the Sun: core ~15.7 million K, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere ~5,772 K, and corona ~1-3 million K with a soft outer halo.
How hot is the solar core?
About 15.7 million K in the fusion region at the center - shown as the innermost bright shell in this teaching schematic.
What is the photosphere temperature?
About 5,772 K - the visible surface layer that emits most of the sunlight we see from Earth.
Why is the corona hotter than the photosphere?
The corona at ~1-3 million K is hotter than the ~5,772 K photosphere below - a real puzzle. Magnetic heating is the leading textbook explanation; this page shows the layer only.
Is this a hydrodynamics model?
No. It is an educational cutaway schematic - not a hydrodynamics visualization or a live space-weather model.
How do I explore each layer?
Press Core, Radiative, Convective, Photosphere, Corona, or All under the canvas, or click a colored shell in the 3D cutaway.