Stunning New Images Showcase Unprecedented Detail of Sun’s Surface
WHO:
CBS News - Researchers involved in the study include solar physicist Ruizhu Chen from Stanford University and study co-author Friedrich Wöger from the National Solar Observatory.
AP News - The research was conducted using the National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope.
WHAT:
AP News - Researchers observed ripples of instability on the sun’s surface caused by bits of magnetized plasma moving past each other at different speeds, a phenomenon that has not been observed at this level on the solar surface before.
AP News - Solar physicist Ruizhu Chen noted that the patterns observed on the sun's surface "reminds me of famous paintings, like the swirling skies in Van Gogh’s Starry Night."
AP News - Study co-author Friedrich Wöger stated that the observed phenomenon has been glimpsed on Earth and other planets like Jupiter and Saturn, but not at this level on the solar surface.
CBS News - Researchers captured images of the sun’s surface in unprecedented detail.
AP News - The images revealed strange feathery patterns and ripples of instability on the sun’s surface caused by magnetized plasma.
AP News - The findings were published in the journal Nature.
WHERE:
CBS News - The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope is located on the island of Maui in Hawaii.
WHEN:
AP News - The findings were published on a Wednesday.
WHY:
AP News - Scientists are interested in understanding the sun’s inner workings to better track massive bursts of energy called coronal mass ejections that can hurl toward Earth, potentially scrambling GPS communications and producing colorful auroras.
AP News - Scientists are interested in understanding the sun’s inner workings to better track coronal mass ejections that can affect Earth.
HOW:
CBS News - The images were originally taken to fine-tune and test the limits of the telescope.
(UPDATED August 6, 2026 08:17 UTC)
Researchers have made a groundbreaking observation of ripples of instability on the sun’s surface, caused by magnetized plasma moving at different speeds, a phenomenon unprecedented at this level. Solar physicist Ruizhu Chen compared these patterns to famous artworks, noting their resemblance to the swirling skies in Van Gogh’s "Starry Night." This study, which also highlights similar phenomena seen on Earth and planets like Jupiter and Saturn, aims to deepen our understanding of the sun's inner workings to better track coronal mass ejections that can disrupt GPS communications and create stunning auroras.
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(UPDATED August 6, 2026 05:07 UTC)
Researchers from Stanford University and the National Solar Observatory have captured stunning images of the sun’s surface using the National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope located in Maui, Hawaii. These images, published in the journal Nature, reveal unusual feathery patterns and ripples of instability caused by magnetized plasma, providing new insights into the sun’s inner workings. Scientists hope that understanding these phenomena will help them better track coronal mass ejections that can impact Earth.