Never before seen, see what the most powerful solar telescope recorded

Scientists have captured images of the Sun's surface in unprecedented detail using the world's most powerful solar telescope. The new images and views reveal tiny swirls of glowing gas that are created by the Sun's magnetic field.

The new discovery could help us better understand so-called space weather, which are powerful explosions on the Sun that can disrupt satellites, communication systems and power grids on Earth, and pose a risk to astronauts.

"The Sun is the source of all this energy and space weather," said Dr. David Boboltz of the US National Solar Observatory (NSO). He added that the more detailed images will help scientists better understand processes on the Sun and one day predict such phenomena more accurately.

The research, published in the journal Nature, was made possible by the Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii. The telescope captured images of many small vortices on the Sun's surface that scientists believe generate magnetic energy that can later be released in the form of powerful solar flares and massive coronal ejections.
Scientists have also observed a phenomenon known as the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, which occurs when two layers of hot gas move at different speeds. A similar process can be seen in the oceans, where small waves grow into large waves../Indeksonline/

Scientists have captured the highest-resolution video of the surface of the sun ever, showing turbulent, vortex-like structures in unprecedented detail.

The "surface" of the sun is really an unstable, roiling soup of plasma, heated to about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. pic.twitter.com/5Ih2BEezPI

- The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 6, 2026