Birth of a Photon

[Nesti (Mark)]

I heard or read somewhere that a Photon, created at our Suns' core, can take up to 50 years to reach the Suns surface; taking only 8 or so minutes to get to us after that. I can't find a reference for it so hoping someone would know.

50 years, that's a long time to play dodgem cars.

Anyone know if this is correct?

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

My understanding is that it takes a hell of a lot longer than that. And its not the same photon that is generated at the center. Each photon that is generated at the center is absorbed and re-emited in a different frequency many billions of times before 'it' reaches the surface. Some estimates i've heard range from 100,00 to 1,000,000 years. Don't know how accurate that is

[Robh (Rob)]

According to wikipedia "photon travel time" is between 10000 and 170000 years. See wiki Sun then read section on Core.

Regards, Rob.

[Jarvamundo (Alex)]

Whats even cooler is...

It can travel from the hot hot hot core... to the cold cold cold surface then woosh back up to super hot hot hot corona (relative temperatures ofcourse)... All in a fusion convection model.... wait a minute.. doh that weren't meant to happen....

[Nesti (Mark)]

Well my 50 years is well out of the ball park. Yes, I realise that the original photon would have been involved in interactions, ie "Dodgem cars".

Pretty interesting.

[JD2439975 (Justin)]

Now if the Suns matter became transparent to EM...10's of thousands of years of radiation in a fraction of a second.

SPF 5 billion+ anyone?
Or as the bum in the Terminator said, "Hey buddy did you just see a big, bright light?"

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Originally Posted by Nesti

Well my 50 years is well out of the ball park. Yes, I realise that the original photon would have been involved in interactions, ie "Dodgem cars".

Pretty interesting.

Ah the dodgem car theory as in The Universe-Secrets of the Sun.
Cheers Kev.