chromosphere

The gaseous layer of the Sun (or of another star) above the photosphere. Through the photospheric layers, the temperature decreases with distance from the centre of the Sun to a temperature minimum. The temperature then gradually rises again to 10,000 K through the overlying chromosphere. The name literally means "sphere of colour" - the chromosphere is seen as a pinkish glow when the light of the photosphere is hidden at a total solar eclipse.