The Sun is the most important celestial object, providing humans with indispensable light and heat, yet we truly know very little about how it works. Solar flares are a regular occurrence whereby magnetic reconnection in the upper solar atmosphere can cause ejection of plasma at over 1,000,000˚C producing the well-known aurorae. However, flares also cause radio blackouts, disrupt flights and satellite communication, and can even knock out electricity supplies on a continental scale.
On the contrary, there have been times where the Sun has not been active. The so-called Maunder Minimum was a period where solar activity seemed to diminish without forewarning. The caused the river Thames to freeze over. Markets were regularly held on the frozen river, while the cold temperatures caused trees to become extremely dense. This wood is the source of all Stradivarius violins!
Such extremes of weather can have a huge impact on mankind. As such, it is vital we attempt to understand the underlying processes behind our nearest star! Andor’s NEW large-format Balor sCMOS Camera allows ground-breaking observations of the solar atmosphere with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. Astronomers will to be able to study the nuances of dynamic events such as magnetic reconnection with stunning accuracy, while also having the large-format capability to view entire flux ropes and sunspots without mosaicking.
