Unique images of a solar cloud

On February 15, 2022, an immense cloud escaped from the Sun. The space telescope EUI onboard the Solar Orbiter satellite could capture the solar cloud while it was hurled into space. EUI followed the solar cloud over a distance of 3,5 million kms. Never before could a single telescope image the journey of a solar cloud from the early start to this far into space.

Solar Orbiter was launched in February 2020. Since November 2021 only, the instruments onboard are collecting scientific data. The EUI images hit like a hammer. David Berghmans, EUI principal investigator said: ‘Amazing to see that the cloud stayed visible up to the edge of our widescreen camera. A while ago, with another camera designed to observe in detail, we saw small ‘campfires’ on the Sun. Now it seems that the widescreen camera can beautifully image space further away from the Sun. This allows us to link the details in the solar atmosphere with what happens further up.’

EUI movie of the solar cloud of February 15, 2022, escaping the Sun. Credit: Solar Orbiter/EUI Team/ESA & NASA

More details and movies can be found on the ESA website.