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New Solar Telescope Instrument Captures Unprecedented Images of Sunspots

The Visible Tunable Filter, now in its testing phase, achieves 10 km resolution, marking a major step in solar observation technology.

Overview

  • The Visible Tunable Filter (VTF) at the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope has achieved technical first light, producing its inaugural high-resolution images of the Sun.
  • Developed by Germany’s Institut für Sonnenphysik over 15 years, the VTF is the world’s largest imaging spectro-polarimeter, designed to map solar magnetic fields and plasma dynamics.
  • The instrument captured sunspot structures with an unprecedented resolution of 10 kilometers per pixel, revealing fine-scale solar surface features.
  • By recording 12 million spectra per observation, the VTF can estimate temperature, pressure, velocity, and magnetic field strength at various solar altitudes.
  • Currently in its technical commissioning phase, the VTF is expected to enter full scientific operations in 2026, enhancing predictions of solar storms and their potential impact on Earth's infrastructure.