The Sun
Spicule
Say it: SPIK-yool IPA: /ˈspɪkjuːl/ noun
Spicule: A narrow, short-lived jet of plasma in the solar atmosphere.
Close views of the Sun's edge reveal many thin, changing structures. Spicules carry material upward through the chromosphere and are studied as part of the Sun's energy flow.
- Example
- The solar image sequence showed a spicule rising and fading.
- Why astronomers use it
- They help researchers investigate the transport of mass and energy in the solar atmosphere.
- Tiny cosmic connection
- A spicule is not simply a miniature solar flare; the terms describe different phenomena.
Observatory The Sun
Where to check it
Written for Cool Moon Facts in its own words; the sources cover the same idea in more depth.