World’s most powerful solar telescope captures stunning image of Sun’s surface, shows its exquisite details

A stunning image showing exquisite details of the Sun’s surface has been released by the National Science Foundation (NSF), which is taken by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) in Hawaii. The image shows the Sun’s chromosphere, which is the layer of its atmosphere just above its surface.

NSF said that the first images of the chromosphere were taken with the world’s most powerful solar telescope, which is located on land of spiritual and cultural significance to the Native Hawaiian people, on June 3, 2022.

It further noted that the image showed a region 82,500 kilometres across at a resolution of 18km. This image is taken at 486.13 nanometers using the hydrogen-beta line from the Balmer series.

The NSF said that the telescope is close to the completion of the first year of its Operations Commissioning Phase (OCP), and it is delivering on its promise to reveal the Sun in ways the world has never seen before.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) also added that the images and data produced by Inouye Solar Telescope will write the next chapters of solar physics research.

NSF Director, Sethuraman Panchanathan said, “NSF’s Inouye Solar Telescope is the world’s most powerful solar telescope that will forever change the way we explore and understand our sun. Its insights will transform how our nation, and the planet, predict and prepare for events like solar storms.” (WION)