Inouye Solar Telescope reveals detailed sunspot image

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May 1, 2025
3 min read

Inouye Solar Telescope reveals detailed sunspot image

The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, the world’s largest solar telescope, has achieved a significant milestone having taken the first images with its new instrument, the Visible Tunable Filter (VTF). Developed by Germany’s Kiepenheuer Institute for Solar Physics (KIS), the VTF is the most powerful imaging spectro-polarimeter ever built, designed to provide unprecedented detail of the Sun’s surface. A single sunspot would dwarf continents here on Earth.

The inaugural image captured by the VTF reveals a sunspot in remarkable detail, utilising sunlight at a wavelength of 588.9 nanometres, known as the sodium D line. Each pixel in the image corresponds to just 10 kilometres on the Sun’s surface, allowing scientists to observe the intricate structures within sunspots and their surrounding areas.

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The VTF operates by filtering specific wavelengths and polarisation states of sunlight, enabling the creation of two-dimensional images that provide insights into the Sun’s temperature, pressure, velocity, and magnetic field strength at various altitudes. This capability is crucial for understanding solar phenomena such as flares and coronal mass ejections, which can have significant effects on Earth’s space weather.

Installed at the summit of Haleakalā volcano in Hawaii, the Inouye Solar Telescope has been operational since 2022. The addition of the VTF marks the completion of its suite of five scientific instruments, positioning the telescope at the forefront of solar research. The VTF’s ability to capture high-resolution images rapidly makes it an invaluable tool for scientists studying the dynamic processes of the Sun.

Dr. Matthias Schubert, VTF Project Scientist at KIS, describes the instrument as “the heart of the solar telescope,” now fully operational at its intended location. The successful commissioning of the VTF represents a significant technological advancement, promising to enhance our understanding of solar activity and its impact on Earth.

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