Chromosphere

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Chromosphere \Chro"mo*sphere\, n. [Gr. ? color + E. sphere.]
     (Astron.)
     An atmosphere of rare matter, composed principally of
     incandescent hydrogen gas, surrounding the sun and enveloping
     the photosphere. Portions of the chromosphere are here and
     there thrown up into enormous tongues of flame.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  chromosphere
       n : a gaseous layer of the sun's atmosphere (extending from the
           photosphere to the corona) that is visible during a total
           eclipse of the sun