Astronomers Capture Sharpest-Ever Solar Flare Images with NSF’s DKIST Telescope

Astronomers have achieved a major breakthrough by capturing the sharpest images of a solar flare ever recorded, using the National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST). Observed at the hydrogen-alpha wavelength during the decay of an X1.3-class solar flare, the images unveiled hundreds of ultra-fine coronal loops averaging just 48 kilometers wide, with some as narrow as 21 kilometers. Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the findings suggest these slender loops may be the fundamental structures behind magnetic reconnection, the process that drives solar flares. The discovery not only advances understanding of solar physics but also holds promise for better predicting space weather events that can impact satellites, communications, and power systems on Earth.