Editing Stellar corona (section)

{{Short description|Outermost layer of a star's atmosphere}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2024}}
[[File:Solar eclipse 1999 4.jpg|thumb|right|During a total [[solar eclipse]], the Sun's corona and [[solar prominence|prominences]] are visible to the [[naked eye]].]]
In [[astronomy]], a '''corona''' ({{plural form}}: '''coronas''' or '''coronae''') is the outermost layer of a [[star]]'s [[Stellar atmosphere|atmosphere]]. It is a hot but relatively [[luminosity|dim]] region of [[Plasma (physics)|plasma]] populated by intermittent '''coronal''' structures such as [[solar prominence|prominence]]s, [[coronal loop]]s, and [[helmet streamer]]s.

The [[Sun]]'s corona lies above the [[chromosphere]] and extends millions of kilometres into outer space. Coronal light is typically obscured by [[diffuse sky radiation]] and [[Glare (vision)|glare]] from the solar disk, but can be easily seen by the naked eye during a total [[solar eclipse]] or with a specialized [[coronagraph]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Liberatore |first1=Alessandro |last2=Capobianco |first2=Gerardo |last3=Fineschi |first3=Silvano |last4=Massone |first4=Giuseppe |last5=Zangrilli |first5=Luca |last6=Susino |first6=Roberto |last7=Nicolini |first7=Gianalfredo |title=Sky Brightness Evaluation at Concordia Station, Dome C, Antarctica, for Ground-Based Observations of the Solar Corona |journal=Solar Physics |date=March 2022 |volume=297 |issue=3 |page=29 |doi=10.1007/s11207-022-01958-x|pmid=35250102 |pmc=8889400 |arxiv=2201.00660 |bibcode=2022SoPh..297...29L }}</ref> [[Spectroscopic]] measurements indicate strong [[ionization]] in the corona and a plasma temperature in excess of {{gaps|1|000|000 [[kelvin]]s}},<ref name="Aschwanden">{{cite book|title=Physics of the Solar Corona: An Introduction with Problems and Solutions|last=Aschwanden|first=Markus J.|publisher=Praxis Publishing|year=2005|isbn=978-3-540-22321-4|location=Chichester, UK}}
</ref> much hotter than the surface of the Sun, known as the [[photosphere]].

{{langnf|la|Corona|crown}} is, in turn, derived {{etymology|grc|''{{wikt-lang|grc|κορώνη}}'' ({{grc-transl|κορώνη}})|garland, wreath}}.