The Solar Orbiter mission has delivered the most detailed images of the sun’s surface ever captured, revealing sunspots and the movement of charged gas, or plasma. Taken on March 22, 2023, and unveiled Wednesday, these high-resolution images provide new insights into the sun’s magnetic field and its ultra-hot outer atmosphere, the corona.
Using its Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) and Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI), the spacecraft captured these visuals from 46 million miles away. Solar Orbiter, launched in February 2020 as a collaboration between the European Space Agency and NASA, orbits the sun to study its dynamics, including the solar wind and the mystery of why the corona is hotter than the sun’s surface.
While NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will make its closest approach to the sun in December, Solar Orbiter is equipped to capture unparalleled images of the star. Together, these missions are studying the sun during the peak of its activity cycle, aiming to uncover the secrets of its magnetic field and dynamic behavior.
“These high-resolution maps highlight the intricate details of the sun’s surface and magnetic fields,” said Daniel Müller, project scientist for the Solar Orbiter mission. “This data is crucial for understanding the processes that shape our star’s activity.”
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