Sharpest pics of sun’s surface reveal previously unseen whirlpools
Scientists have captured high-resolution images of the sun's surface using the world's largest solar telescope, revealing previously unseen plasma whirlpools. These findings may provide new insights into how energy and magnetic fields move through the solar atmosphere.
Why it matters
Understanding these small-scale solar phenomena is crucial for advancing our knowledge of space weather and solar magnetic activity.
Scientists have used the world’s largest telescope to study the sun to capture the highest-resolution pictures yet of the sun’s surface, revealing small, violent plasma whirlpools moving across it.
The discovery could change how scientists understand the way energy and magnetic fields move through the sun’s atmosphere. These whirlpools seem like an efficient way to move energy and magnetic flux, and could also be responsible for braiding the sun’s magnetic fields at small scales.
Published - September 07, 2026 09:00 am IST
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