NASA telescope captured the most detailed images of the Sun ever taken

The Sun is a hostile place, where boiling plasma accompanies unpredictable eruptions. Today, the highest resolution photos and videos ever taken from its surface show this action in unprecedented detail. The National Science Foundation (NSF) in the United States published, Wednesday, January 29, data and images of the first observations of its Inouye solar telescope in Hawaii. The images reveal a pattern of coiled plasma that covers the surface of the Sun. Each cell structure is the size of Texas.

Following the completion of its construction on June 30, this new telescope will help usher in a new era in solar science. This in particular thanks to the help of the NASA Parker solar probe, which revolves around the Sun, and the next solar orbiter, which will be launched next week. This trio of telescopes could help scientists predict dangerous solar flares. They can also provide other photos and videos like the ones below. Here are the new images, and what to expect next.

The first photos of the Inouye solar telescope reveal a pattern of coiled plasma that covers the surface of the Sun. Each cell structure has a size comparable to that of Texas.

L'image couvre une zone de 36 370 kilomètres de large à la surface du Soleil. NSO/NSF/AURA

The smallest elements in this image - the tiny white dots between the plasma cells - are the same size as Manhattan.

"From the first test, we were able to get the highest resolution images of the solar surface ever taken," said Thomas Rimmele, director of the telescope, at a press briefing.

he NSF's 4-meter Inouye Solar Telescope sits atop the Haleakalā volcano on the island of Maui, Hawaii, above the clouds. NSO / NSF / AURA

"The first light was a very tense but also exciting moment. The atmosphere in the telescope's control room was similar to that of a rocket launch. When the first images appeared on the screen, they exceeded my expectations, "added the researcher. The 4-meter telescope is located at the top of the Haleakala volcano on the island of Maui (Hawaii), at an altitude of 3,000 meters.

The resolution of Inouye images is five times that of previous solar telescopes.

"So far, we have probably only seen the tip of the iceberg. We have not been able to see the smallest magnetic elements that should exist on the entire surface of the Sun," said Thomas Rimmele .