Solar Orbiter Captures First Footage of Solar Wind's Twisting Motion

ESA and NASA's collaborative mission reveals groundbreaking insights into the Sun's inner corona, with implications for space weather forecasting.

The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter has released the first-ever footage of the solar wind's twisting motion, recorded in October 2022 using the Metis coronagraph.
The footage, published in *The Astrophysical Journal*, shows charged particles in the Sun's inner corona spiraling outward in a cyclone-like motion.
The Metis instrument is uniquely capable of observing the Sun's outer atmosphere by blocking direct sunlight, enabling high-resolution imaging of the solar wind's behavior.
These findings aim to improve understanding of the solar wind's origin and acceleration, which could enhance forecasting of solar storms and their impact on Earth's technology.
This international mission between ESA and NASA marks a significant advancement in solar physics, building on decades of research into the Sun's dynamics and magnetic field.