Unprecedented Clarity: Adaptive Optics Reveal Sun's Corona in Stunning Detail

Scientists have achieved a breakthrough in solar observation using a new adaptive optics system called 'Cona.' Installed on the 1.6-meter Goode Solar Telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory, Cona corrects for atmospheric blurring, yielding the clearest images and videos of the Sun's corona ever recorded. The system adjusts its mirror shape 2,200 times per second to compensate for atmospheric turbulence. The resulting images reveal unprecedented detail of rapidly restructuring solar prominences, fine plasma streams, and delicate coronal rain, offering invaluable data for understanding coronal heating and space weather. This technology, poised for widespread adoption, marks a new era in solar physics.