Outside the sun's core lies the radiative zone where temperatures range from 12 million degrees F (7 million degrees C) nearest the core to around 4 million degrees F (2 million degrees C) in the outer radiative zone, according to the educational, No thermal convection occurs in this layer, according to the science news website Instead, heat is transferred via thermal radiation whereby hydrogen and helium emit photons that travel a short distance prior to getting reabsorbed by other ions. It can take light particles (photons) thousands of years to meander their way through this layer before reaching the surface of the sun.