Solar Orbiter captures stunning new images of the sun's corona and photosphere

The Solar Orbiter spacecraft has provided the clearest images of the sun to date, revealing stunning details of its corona and photosphere. These images were captured in March 2023, when the spacecraft was about 74 million kilometers from the sun. The images show the sun's outer atmosphere in ultraviolet light, highlighting plasma activity and magnetic fields. The Solar Orbiter will deliver two high-resolution images of the sun each year, enhancing our understanding of solar behavior. Additionally, the spacecraft will image the sun's poles for the first time, which are expected to differ significantly from other sun regions. This data will help scientists learn more about the sun's dynamics and magnetic activity.