The highest resolution image of the Sun’s surface ever taken

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the highest resolution image of the Sun's surface, focusing on the implications of the new solar telescope's findings, particularly regarding magnetic fields and the solar corona. The scope includes conceptual insights and reactions to the article detailing these advancements in solar imaging.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express excitement about the clarity of the images, highlighting the visibility of tiny bright markers of magnetic fields.
  • Others note that these bright spots are believed to channel energy into the solar corona, which raises questions about the temperature of the corona exceeding a million degrees.
  • A participant emphasizes the significance of distinguishing bright spots in the dark lanes of cooled plasma, suggesting a deeper understanding of solar dynamics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the excitement and significance of the findings, but there is no consensus on the implications or interpretations of the observations regarding the solar corona and magnetic fields.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not address specific assumptions or limitations of the findings, nor does it delve into the technical details of the imaging process or the underlying physics of the solar phenomena.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in solar physics, astronomy, and advancements in imaging technology may find this discussion relevant.

lomidrevo
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TL;DR
The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope has produced the highest resolution image of the Sun’s surface ever taken. In this picture taken at 789nm, we can see features as small as 30km (18 miles) in size for the first time ever.
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Astronomy news on Phys.org
Very cool. Thanks for posting.
 
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phinds said:
Very cool. Thanks for posting.

I especially like this part:
In these dark lanes we can also see the tiny, bright markers of magnetic fields. Never before seen to this clarity, these bright specks are thought to channel energy up into the outer layers of the solar atmosphere called the corona. These bright spots may be at the core of why the solar corona is more than a million degrees!
Amazing that we can distinguish these bright spots in the dark lanes, where the cooled plasma sinks down.
 
Distance Perspective:

Screen Shot 2020-02-01 at 9.48.44 AM.png
 
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