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
A schematic cutaway of the Sun highlights core, radiative zone, convective zone, photosphere, and corona - teaching layers and temperatures, not a hydrodynamics visualization.
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 about 5,772 K is the visible surface. The corona at about 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 about 15.7 million K fusion region at the center
- Radiative zone - energy outward by radiation
- Convective zone - boiling plasma cells
- Photosphere about 5,772 K visible surface
- Corona about 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 | about 15.7 million K | Fusion region |
| Radiative zone | Radiation transport | Photon diffusion region |
| Convective zone | Boiling plasma | Convection carries heat up |
| Photosphere | about 5,772 K | Visible disk |
| Corona | about 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, not an MHD solver, and not a live SDO corona imagery fetch. Motion is slow rotation plus a corona pulse for readability only.
For a step-by-step walkthrough, read the Sun Structure 3D Explorer step-by-step guide. When you need session fit and limits, see when to use Sun Structure 3D Explorer. The Space 3D collection also includes HR Diagram 3D and Star Lifecycle 3D Explorer.
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.