Dictionary Home »
Science » corona
corona science definition
Plural CORONAS coronas or coronae
- The luminous, irregular envelope of gas outside the chromosphere of a star. The Sun's corona is composed of ionized gas between approximately 1,000,000°K and 2,000,000°K and has an extremely low density. This phenomenon is visible only during a solar eclipse.
- A faintly colored luminous ring appearing to surround a celestial body (such as the Moon or Sun) that is visible through a haze or thin cloud, caused by diffraction of light from suspended matter in the intervening medium. Also called aureole.
- A faint glow of the air in the region of very strong electric fields, caused by ionization of the air molecules and flow of current in that region in corona discharge.
- The crownlike upper portion of a bodily part or structure, such as the top of the head.
- A crown-shaped structure on the inner side of the petals of some flowers, such as the daffodil.
Learn more about corona