The European Space Agency's (ESA) Solar Orbiter has achieved a remarkable feat, capturing the largest and most detailed image of the sun's corona to date. This composite image, assembled from 200 individual frames, was taken on March 9, 2025, from a distance of approximately 77 million kilometers [4].
The image reveals the solar corona in ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 17.4 nanometers. This allows scientists to gain unprecedented insights into the dynamic processes occurring within the sun's atmosphere [4]. The Solar Orbiter, launched in early 2020, is designed to study the sun from unique vantage points, including above and below its poles [5, 7].
The mosaic was created using the Full Sun Imager, optimizing brightness and sharpness to achieve a stunning resolution of 12,544 x 12,544 pixels [4]. The solar corona, composed of hot, charged particles trapped by the sun's magnetic field, is crucial for understanding space weather and its potential effects on Earth [2, 6]. By observing the corona, scientists aim to improve predictions of solar storms and their impact on our planet [3, 10]. ESA plans to continue expanding the mission to further explore the sun from new perspectives [5].