granule

High-resolution image of the Sun's surface taken by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST).

In solar physics and observation, granules are convection cells in the Sun's photosphere. They are caused by currents of plasma in the Sun's convective zone, directly below the photosphere. The grainy appearance of the photosphere is produced by the tops of these convective cells; this pattern is referred to as granulation.