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Science & Tech180 outlets ran this5 min read

Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope captures highest-resolution images of Sun’s surface

New observations reveal swirling plasma patterns that may explain solar storms affecting Earth’s technology

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Published
This undated image provided by the NSF National Solar Observatory on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, shows the sun's surface. (Via AP)

What this story says

  • The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope captured the highest-resolution images to date of the Sun’s visible surface, revealing swirling plasma patterns.
  • The observed vortices range from 19 to 170 kilometres in diameter and were previously predicted but never directly seen.
  • Researchers say the findings, published in Nature on 5 August 2026, may help explain solar storms that disrupt GPS and create auroras.
  • The telescope, located on Maui in Hawaii, was originally used to test its own limits before yielding the unexpected discovery.

Who covered it

Left 35%(50)Centre 47%(69)Right 18%(27)

Percentages are shares of the 146 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 34 of the 180 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

86/100

Craft

95/100

Hype

15/100

180 sources · methodology

Scientists have captured the highest-resolution images yet of the Sun’s visible surface using the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii. The images reveal swirling, vortex-like plasma patterns ranging from 19 to 170 kilometres in diameter. These patterns, described as resembling the swirling skies in Vincent van Gogh’s *The Starry Night*, were observed for the first time at this level of detail.

The telescope, the world’s most powerful solar observatory, was initially used to test its own capabilities. Researchers later realised the images showed the Sun’s outer shell in unprecedented detail. The findings were published on 5 August 2026 in the journal *Nature*. Study co-author Friedrich Wöger, of the National Solar Observatory, said the observations had not been seen at this scale on the solar surface before.

The plasma vortices are caused by magnetised plasma moving at different speeds, creating ripples of instability. Similar phenomena have been observed on Earth and other planets, such as Jupiter and Saturn, but never with this clarity on the Sun. Scientists believe these small-scale processes may drive larger solar events, including coronal mass ejections that can disrupt GPS communications and produce auroras on Earth.

What the coverage left out

None of the right-rated digests mentioned the size range of the plasma vortices, which left-rated digests such as *Novinky.cz* and unrated outlets like *Haberler* included. The journal *Nature*’s publication of the findings was omitted by all right-rated digests and most centre-rated digests, though it appeared in left-rated digests like *Novinky.cz* and *Spiegel*.

Tags:#SolarResearch#SpaceWeather#AstronomyBreakthrough#InouyeTelescope#PlasmaPhysics

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 6 times, most recently on 6 Aug 2026, 16:15, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

50 rated outlets

  • The left-rated digests led on the unprecedented detail of the images and their potential to solve long-standing solar mysteries. *Novinky.cz* reported the plasma vortices measured between 19 and 170 kilometres in diameter. *La Presse* and *Spiegel* described the images as revealing a "strange and dynamic facade" of the Sun, with *Spiegel* noting the structures could be part of the solution to a "long-standing puzzle".
  • The *Daily Mirror*’s full report quoted Friedrich Wöger saying the telescope provided a "clearer view" of the small-scale physics powering solar activity. The outlet also included video footage of the feathery patterns and whirlpools, framing the discovery as a breakthrough in understanding the Sun’s "tiny engines". *The Independent*’s digest highlighted the swirling, vortex-like patterns as "never-before-seen" and tied them to the Sun’s larger-scale events.

Centre

69 rated outlets

  • Centre-rated digests focused on the technical achievement and the magnetic mysteries revealed by the images. *CTV News*’ full report led with the telescope’s role in capturing the images and quoted solar physicist Ruizhu Chen comparing the patterns to *The Starry Night*. The outlet also noted the images were originally taken to test the telescope’s limits.
  • *KOMU 8* and *Internewscast* described the images as the "highest resolution view of the sun yet", with *KOMU 8* framing them as revealing "magnetic mysteries". *StudyFinds* emphasised the confirmation of long-predicted whirlpools, stating they had "never been able to see them directly" before. *The Globe & Mail* and *Hawaii Tribune-Herald* digests both highlighted the swirling, vortex-like patterns, with the latter comparing them to Van Gogh’s painting.

Right

27 rated outlets

  • Right-rated digests framed the discovery as a major step forward in understanding the universe. *GB News* described the images as the "sharpest-ever picture of the Sun" and a "major step forward". *Rediff.com* led with the potential to "solve a decades-old solar mystery", while *Korrespondent.net* stated the vortices had previously existed "only in theory".
  • *Focus.de* called the images a "sensation for science" and the "most accurate photos so far". *Daily Sabah* and *Jonesboro Sun* digests both used the phrase "finest detail yet", with the latter noting the "strange feathery patterns" observed. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the specific size range of the vortices or the journal *Nature*’s role in publishing the findings.

Read it at the source

180 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

50
Show 42 more

Centre

69
Show 61 more

Right

27
Show 19 more

Not rated

34
Show 26 more

How did this read?

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