Scientists have unveiled the most detailed image of a sunspot ever captured, offering an extraordinary glimpse into the sun’s surface. Taken on January 28 by the Inouye Solar Telescope, this remarkable photograph reveals magnetic structures as small as 20 kilometers, according to Thomas Rimmele, associate director at the National Solar Observatory (NSO). The telescope, operated by the NSF, is the largest in the world dedicated to observing the sun.
The sunspot in the image, measuring approximately 10,000 miles (16,100 kilometers) across, is large enough to fit Earth comfortably within its boundaries. At the center of the sunspot lies a dark region where intense magnetic fields suppress the flow of heat from the sun’s interior, making it cooler than its surroundings.
Despite its cooler appearance, this region is still scorching, with temperatures exceeding 7,500 degrees Fahrenheit (4,100 degrees Celsius).
Extending outward from the sunspot’s core are streaks that resemble feathered patterns. These formations result from the interplay of hot and cool gases, sculpted by the convergence of magnetic fields and the turbulent motions of boiling plasma beneath the surface, according to the NSF.
The Inouye Solar Telescope, equipped with advanced optics and a 13-foot (4-meter) primary mirror, captured this image before its official completion. The NSF highlights this achievement as a preview of the telescope’s future capabilities, particularly as the sun enters a new solar cycle with increased activity.
“This is just the beginning,” said Matt Mountain, president of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, which manages the telescope. “We can now use the world’s most advanced solar telescope to capture incredibly detailed images and deepen our understanding of the sun’s dynamic behavior.”
The Inouye Solar Telescope, named after Hawaiian Senator Daniel K. Inouye, represents a major leap forward in solar observation. Construction is expected to conclude in 2021, promising an era of unprecedented insights into the complexities of our star.