Astronomer Andrew McCarthy has shared what he calls the “sharpest image of the Sun ever taken.”
Andrew McCarthy combined 150,000 individual photographs of the Sun to capture the stunning details of the largest star in our solar system. The result is a gigantic 300-megapixel image, which is 30 times larger than that produced by a standard 10-megapixel camera.
150,000 individual images were combined to create the most stunning image of the Sun. (Photo: Animal News Agency)
In the closest view, the naked eye can see swirling patterns and feather-like textures, along with mysterious sunspots.
The process of capturing this image was quite challenging and required a specialized telescope with two filters to prevent fire hazards and protect the photographer’s eyes.
A close-up image of the largest star in the solar system. (Photo: Animal News Agency)
The sharp image shows swirls and feather-like patterns, along with mysterious sunspots. (Photo: Animal News Agency)
The dark spots in the image were inverted during the photography process. In reality, they are very bright, high-energy regions of the burning star. (Photo: Animal News Agency)
“It wasn’t until I finished processing the image that I truly saw what it looked like. This is a very special image. I have always been fascinated by photographing the Sun; it is truly exciting because it is always different,” Andrew said.
“To achieve maximum zoom, I used a modified telescope. Combining multiple images allowed me to see the Sun in incredible detail,” the photographer added.
The Sun is the star at the center of the solar system. It has a diameter of 1.39 million kilometers and a mass 330,000 times that of Earth. Three-quarters of the Sun is made up of hydrogen, followed by helium, oxygen, carbon, neon, and iron.
