Scientists have captured unprecedented high-resolution images of the sun’s surface using the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Maui, Hawaii. Published Wednesday in the journal Nature, the observations reveal feathery plasma patterns driven by fluid instabilities never before seen at this level of detail on the sun.
Researchers operating the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on the island of Maui in Hawaii have photographed the sun’s bright outer shell at a higher resolution than ever before. The milestone images reveal a strange and dynamic facade across the solar surface.
Van Gogh Patterns and Magnetized Plasma Ripples
The newly released imagery displays strange feathery patterns rippling across the solar surface. Observers noted that the visual texture bears a striking resemblance to famous artistic works.
“That reminds me of famous paintings, like the swirling skies in Van Gogh’s Starry Night.”
Ruizhu Chen, solar physicist with Stanford University
Behind these artistic patterns lies complex plasma physics. Researchers identified ripples of instability on the sun’s surface caused by bits of magnetized plasma moving past each other at different speeds. This mechanism mirrors the waves that stir when a gust of wind blows over water, governing how fluids move across terrestrial and planetary environments.
While fluid instability is a well-known phenomenon previously glimpsed on Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn, study co-author Friedrich Wöger with the National Solar Observatory noted that it has not been observed ever at that level on the solar surface
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Testing Telescope Limits to Capture Solar Dynamics
Scientists originally captured the high-resolution data for an entirely different purpose: to fine-tune and test the operational limits of the Inouye telescope. However, upon reviewing the resulting imagery, the research team realized they had successfully photographed the sun’s bright outer shell with unprecedented clarity.
It’s dangerous to look directly at the sun without proper eye protection.
Tracking Coronal Mass Ejections and Solar Storms
Understanding the sun’s intricate inner workings serves a practical purpose for tracking space weather. Researchers study these dynamic solar structures to better monitor massive bursts of energy known as coronal mass ejections.
When these energetic outbursts hurl toward Earth, they can trigger disruptive solar storms. These events have the potential to scramble GPS communications while also generating colorful auroras.