Europe’s largest solar telescope makes unprecedented release Close-up images In the sun – they are a little scary. The telescope, operated by a team of German scientists at the Tide Observatory in Spain, Gregor won high-resolution images of the sun’s complex structure – the best telescope ever captured by a European telescope. The scientists said.

The telescope was designed by scientists and engineers at the Leibniz Institute for Solar Physics (KIS), the researchers said. New optics allow scientists to study magnetic fields, convection, turbulence, solar flares, and sunlight in more detail than ever before.

Scientists say Gregor could study details about 30 miles from the surface of the sun – a fraction of its 865,000-mile diameter. “It’s like seeing a needle on a perfectly sharp soccer field from a kilometer away,” the researchers said.

The sun is susceptible to many phenomena, from sunlight to solar storms and flames – many of which are guided by its intense magnetic field. Little is known about the magnetic field, so close-up images of the Sun’s surface are crucial in revealing its complexities.

The photos show amazing details of the evolution and complex structure of sunlight in solar plasma, the researchers said. Sunspots are temporarily dark areas as the surface temperature decreases due to the magnetic field flow.

“It was a very exciting and very challenging project. We completely redesigned the optics, mechanics and electronics within a year to achieve the best picture quality,” said Dr. who led the project. Lucia Client said. Newsletter.

Because the team’s research was initially halted Coronavirus Lockdon, but when Spain reopens in July, researchers say they want to return to the lab.

By understanding the Sun’s magnetic field, scientists can better advise technology such as satellites and how to protect our planet from solar activity.

“It usually takes years to upgrade the telescope, but good team work and meticulous planning have led to this success,” said KIS Director Dr. Svetlana Berdyugina said. “We now have a powerful tool for solving puzzles in the sun.”