Get ready to be awestruck by the latest jaw-dropping image sent back by the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter! Launched in February 2020, this pioneering spacecraft has captured never-before-seen images of our sun from a breathtakingly close distance.

On March 9, 2025, while sitting approximately 48 million miles (77 million kilometers) from our star, Solar Orbiter transmitted the widest and most detailed high-resolution photograph of the sun to date. For context, the sun is located about 93 million miles (148 million kilometers) from Earth.

The stunning image showcases the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona—its hottest part, where temperatures soar to around 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit (1 million degrees Celsius), making it 150 times hotter than the sun's surface! This corona is the birthplace of the solar wind, a stream of charged particles that can influence space weather and lead to phenomena like geomagnetic storms and captivating auroras on Earth.

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Corona

Despite being a constant presence in the sky, the corona is often overshadowed by the brightness of the photosphere, which is a million times more luminous. Typically, it can only be glimpsed during the fleeting moments of totality in a solar eclipse, creating a breathtaking halo effect around the moon. This rarity makes studying the corona a challenge, which is why Solar Orbiter's real-time imaging capabilities are a game-changer!

The Innovative Imaging Technique

Equipped with six ultraviolet telescopes, Solar Orbiter employs its Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) to take exceptionally detailed observations. The camera captured six high-resolution images and two wide-angle views, ultimately stitching together 200 individual images into a stunning high-resolution mosaic, available in an astonishing 157 megapixels! You can download this spectacular imagery from the ESA website.

This incredible achievement follows a remarkable first image of sunspots captured by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii, the world's largest solar telescope.

Understanding the Solar Cycle

The shape and activity of the corona shift dramatically over the 11-year solar cycle, transitioning between the calm of solar minimum and the active bursts during solar maximum. Currently, the sun is in its "solar maximum," a period that scientists believe began in October 2024, making this Solar Orbiter image particularly relevant for understanding space weather.

By decoding the processes occurring in the sun’s corona, solar scientists aim to predict geomagnetic disturbances that could impact crucial infrastructure on Earth and in space.

Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Eclipses!

Eager to see the corona for yourself? The next total solar eclipse is scheduled for August 12, 2026, crossing eastern Greenland, western Iceland, and northern Spain, with totality lasting around two minutes. A longer totality of over six minutes will take place on August 2, 2027, through parts of Spain, Morocco, and other regions.

And for those in the contiguous U.S., the next total solar eclipse will happen on August 22, 2044. Prepare your viewing gear!

As we explore the depths of our solar system, here's wishing you clear skies and a keen eye for the wonders of our universe!