This image may not be used to state or imply NOAO endorsement of any company or product Sun's surface. Optical image of a spot-free area on the sun's

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This image may not be used to state or imply NOAO endorsement of any company or product Sun's surface. Optical image of a spot-free area on the sun's surface known as a \quiet\" sun. The cellular-like pattern is called granulation, each granule being hot gases rising from the surface. As these gases cool and fall back down, they become darker, creating the dark lanes separating the cells. The small darker points (two seen at far right) are areas of higher magnetic intensity known as filigree. Photographed by the Dunn solar telescope at the Nation Solar Observatory, New Mexico, USA."

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Size: 4496px × 4487px
Photo credit: © NATIONAL OPTICAL ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORIES/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: astronomy, astrophysics, atronomical, cell, cells, convection, cosmology, dunn, filigree, gas, granulation, granule, heliology, hot, national, nso, observatory, optical, plasma, science, solar, space, star, sun, suns, surface, system, telescope