Hawaii's new Inouye Solar Telescope captures the incredibly detailed surface of the sun

Drew Tuma Image
Thursday, January 30, 2020
VIDEO: Maui's new solar telescope captures the incredibly detailed surface of the sun
Maui's new 'Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope' has given astronomers the most detailed pictures ever recorded of the sun's surface.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The world's largest solar telescope has given astronomers the most detailed pictures ever recorded of the sun's surface.

The brand new Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope atop the Haleakala summit on Hawaii's Island of Maui supplied the unprecedented close-up.

The sun is the closest star to earth, but even then it is 93 million miles away. Before this new telescope, astronomers had to wait for a total solar eclipse to block the sun to study the surface.

Research will go into studying the magnetic eruptions which can cause disruption to satellite communications and impact air travel.