Watch the Highest-Ever Resolution Video of the Sun’s Surface

A groundbreaking video and simulation of the sun’s surface have been released, offering an unprecedented level of detail. The images were captured by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, the world’s largest of its kind, situated atop the volcano Haleakalā on the island of Maui, which means "house of the sun" in English. These images reveal swirling plasma on the sun’s surface, providing evidence that supports a long-anticipated theory.

As liquids of varying densities interact, they merge at their boundaries, forming complex motions akin to hurricanes or ocean waves. Understanding these intricate processes on the sun could aid in predicting space weather, particularly severe events known as coronal mass ejections. These disturbances can overwhelm Earth’s magnetic shield, potentially damaging critical infrastructure such as power grids and communication networks. For a closer look at the sun’s most extreme close-up yet, view the video embedded in this article.