Used with permission, published by Mark Johnston on Astronomhub
The Sun can be safely viewed through a telescope only if you have the appropriate filters. In this article we’ll compare what you can see with different types of filters. Remember – never look directly at the Sun with your naked eye!
Chromosphere vs Photosphere
The Photosphere is the visible surface layer of the Sun. The Chromosphere is the layer of the Sun immediately on top of the Photosphere. It is normally invisible unless you have instruments sensitive to a very specific wavelength (656.3nm, the wavelength of light emitted by hydrogen atoms when their electrons make a transition from the n=3 to the n=2 level). This is the ‘hydrogen alpha’ wavelength. The chromosphere includes many fascinating features invisible in a broadband filter, including solar prominences, filaments, spicules, and active regions….