New images of the sun show strange patterns rippling on surface

Scientists using the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii have captured unprecedentedly detailed images of the sun's surface. Initially taken to test the telescope's capabilities, the images revealed strange, feathery patterns rippling across the sun's bright outer shell, observed at higher resolution than ever before. These dynamic formations have been compared to the swirling skies in Van Gogh's "Starry Night." The research highlights the advanced imaging power of the telescope, allowing for a closer look at the sun's complex surface.

Scientists have captured unprecedentedly detailed images of the sun's surface using the National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii. Initially taken to test the telescope's capabilities, the images revealed feathery patterns of instability caused by magnetized plasma moving at different speeds. This phenomenon, previously observed on Earth and other planets, has now been seen at a new level of detail on the sun's surface. These observations, published in the journal Nature, are crucial for understanding the sun's inner workings and improving predictions of coronal mass ejections that can impact Earth.