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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.

A narrow-band image of the Sun at a wavelength of λ=588.9nm, that of a well known solar sodium line also known as the “NaD line.” The image was acquired during recent first light efforts with the VTF at the Inouye, and shows how precisely the structures within a sunspot are resolved. Each pixel in the original version of the image corresponds to 10 km (or 6.2 miles) on the Sun. (Credit: VTF/KIS/NSF/NSO/AURA)
Image

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.