Scientists capture 1st Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities on Sun at Maui telescope
Technology
Scientists just captured something wild on the Sun: tiny swirling patterns called Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, seen for the very first time.
Using the National Science Foundation's Daniel K Inouye Solar Telescope near the summit of Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii, they spotted these mini solar swirls near a sunspot, giving us a fresh look at how the Sun's surface really works.
Swirls could contribute to space weather
These swirling patterns could also contribute to the buildup of the Sun's magnetic energy: think solar flares and big space weather events that can mess with our satellites and power grids here on Earth.
The discovery, published in Nature, might even help us explain long-standing mysteries.