- EXPLORE FURTHER: Image Captures: Initial Lights Illuminating the Universe Following the Big Bang
It's the extremely hot, boiling sphere of plasma with a surface temperature of 5,500°C (10,000°F).
Currently, researchers have unveiled the most intricate image of our sun to date – offering a near view of its powerful magnetic energy.
The picture was taken using the globe’s strongest solar telescope, which captures 2D images of the Sun across various wavelengths.
In mere seconds, three synchronized cameras capture several hundred images with varying configurations—much like snapping a sequence of photos through distinct filters.
Merging these images provides a 3D perspective of the sun’s features – as evident in this stunning photograph.
The recently unveiled picture shows a group of sunspots on the Sun’s surface, spanning roughly 25,000 kilometers by 25,000 kilometers.
Areas of strong magnetic fields known as sunspots frequently cause solar flares and coronal mass ejections, phenomena that result in the spectacular auroras we see from Earth, such as the northern lights.
The picture attains a spatial resolution of 10 kilometers per pixel — revealing the sunspots with extraordinary clarity.
The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope was initially set up at the National Solar Observatory (NSO) close to the peak of Maui’s Haleakalā volcano in 2022.
It has now reached 'first light' — a term used to signify when a telescope lens sees the night sky for the first time — using its most sophisticated tool, the new Visible Tunable Filter (VTF).
Constructed and assembled in Germany, the VTF reached the observatory recently and has subsequently undergone meticulous installation.
It has a weight of 5.6 tons and covers an area comparable to a small garage, spanning across two levels.
Although it isn’t completely functional just yet, science verification and commissioning are anticipated to start in 2026.
'Seeing those initial ghostly scans was an unreal experience,' stated Dr. Stacey Sueoka, Senior Optical Engineer at the observatory.
'This capability cannot be matched by any other instrument within the telescope in the same manner.'
'It signified the end result of months of lens calibration, tests, and collaboration across different continents.'
'We are already witnessing the instrument's potential. This is just the start, and I am thrilled to see what can be achieved as we finalize the system, incorporate the second etalon [optical device], and progress towards science verification and commissioning.'
The team indicated that their latest gadget might assist in uncovering concealed aspects of the solar magnetic field, an essential factor for comprehending solar flares and space weather patterns.
The sun regularly displays powerful eruptions that hurl particles and radiation into space.
On our planet, such solar storms can cause breathtaking auroras — known as the Northern Lights — yet they may also interfere with technological infrastructures and satellites.
Carrie Black, NSF program director, said: ‘When powerful solar storms hit Earth, they impact critical infrastructure across the globe and in space.
‘High-resolution observations of the sun are necessary to improve predictions of such damaging storms.’
On our increasingly technological Earth, sudden solar storms can cause devastating damage to critical infrastructure, and disable large portions of the electrical power grid, communications networks, or space systems.
This new instrument can analyse crucial properties such as plasma flow velocity, magnetic field strength, pressure and temperature.
‘The commissioning of VTF represents a significant technological advance for the Inouye Solar Telescope,’ said Matthias Schubert, VTF project scientist.
‘The instrument is, so to speak, the heart of the solar telescope, which is now finally beating at its final destination.’
Dr. Thomas Kentischer, KIS Co-Principal Investigator and key architect behind the instrument’s optical design, said: 'After all these years of work, VTF is a great success for me.
'I am hopeful that this device will serve as a potent resource for researchers aiming to resolve unanswered queries in the field of solar physics.'
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