Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope captures image of sunspots

The most powerful solar telescope in the world, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii, captured a detailed image of a cluster of sunspots using its Visible Tunable Filter (VTF). Scientists hope it will help predict solar storms. The telescope is not fully operational yet, but the image it captured during testing shows its potential. Sunspots are areas of intense magnetic activity that can trigger solar flares and coronal mass ejections with damaging effects on Earth.

Breakthrough Solar Telescope Captures Detailed Images of the Sun

Researchers at the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii have captured images of the sun using the Visible Tunable Filter (VTF), providing unprecedented insight into solar eruptions. The VTF isolates specific colors of light to reveal details down to 10 kilometers per pixel, helping improve predictions of damaging solar storms.