Astronomers uncover a mysterious magnetic web above the Sun
Using the Sunrise-III solar observatory, scientists have discovered a complex network of thread-like magnetic structures in the Sun's atmosphere. These findings help explain how energy is transported and how the solar atmosphere is heated.
Why it matters
Mapping the Sun's magnetic field is crucial for understanding solar activity and its potential impact on Earth's space weather.
Scientists have uncovered a surprisingly complex network of magnetic structures hidden above regions of the Sun that appear relatively calm. Using the Sunrise-III solar observatory, which traveled high into Earth's stratosphere aboard a balloon in 2024, an international research team led by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) discovered intricate, thread-like magnetic features that had previously been difficult to observe.
The findings reveal that even the Sun's seemingly quiet regions contain elaborate magnetic structures. They also offer new clues to how energy travels upward through the solar atmosphere and contributes to its heating.
A Hidden Web of Magnetic Threads Above the Sun
Sunrise-III detected numerous thin, elongated magnetic structures woven into a larger network of magnetic fields above a quiet region of the Sun. This network, known as the magnetic canopy, extends through the chromosphere, a layer of the solar atmosphere located above the Sun's visible surface.
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