The clearest and widest high-resolution image of the Sun ever captured

Solar Orbiter’s widest high-res view of the Sun (Image: ESA)

Sometimes the best views of home come from afar. The Sun, usually seen as a blazing circle in books, now appears in a stunning new form — thanks to a European spacecraft floating millions of miles away.

The Solar Orbiter has spent five years circling our closest star. On 9 March 2025, it captured its most detailed image so far. The spacecraft used its Extreme Ultraviolet Imager to photograph the Sun over four and a half hours. It took 200 frames from 48 million miles away to build one huge mosaic.

This final image is the widest ultraviolet shot of the Sun. Each side measures 12,544 pixels across. That’s enough space to fit a dozen Earths in a single pixel. The image shows yellow filaments and bright arcs of plasma. These are bubbles of million-degree gas, trapped in magnetic loops.

A new view from higher up

The Solar Orbiter mission is not only about taking pictures. Each flyby of Venus tilts the spacecraft’s orbit further above the Sun’s equator. By the end of this decade, it will reach 33 degrees. That will give researchers their first long view of the solar poles.

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Even early images show structures hidden until now. Huge magnetic arches seem to dive beneath the surface like tree roots. These patterns may help explain why the Sun’s outer atmosphere is hotter than the surface. They also hint at how the 11-year sunspot cycle restarts itself.

The spacecraft also spotted narrow plasma jets erupting from small sunspots. These jets are only as wide as Texas. Scientists traced them back to twisted magnetic fields on the surface. Even small tangles can send heat to the outer layers, heating the corona.

Weather from the Sun affects us all

Solar activity may seem distant, but it has real effects here. Bursts of energy from the Sun can disrupt planes and power systems. When a wave of particles hits Earth, astronauts move into shielded areas. Airline paths are changed, and grid managers monitor for power surges.

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Now, for the first time, scientists can match surface jets to solar winds. These winds usually hit Earth two days after leaving the Sun. Linking them to their origins helps us predict their impact better.

Solar Orbiter works in tandem with NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. One captures images from afar while the other flies through the plasma. Each pass offers new clues about how our star behaves. Another close flyby is due later this year, bringing us closer to solving solar mysteries — and understanding the force that powers our skies.