NASA: Hidden light show discovered on the Sun by NuSTAR telescope

NASA is only one of several space-focused organisations that regularly releases breathtaking new photographs of the cosmos, the solar system, the planets, and the sun. Colours like red, green, and blue aren't often thought of when picturing the Sun. However, in this composite image, these colours reveal a mystery: sunlight that had previously been obscured.

According to NASA's latest post on Instagram, Blue represents the high-energy X-rays from the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), red represents the ultraviolet light from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and green represents the low-energy X-rays from the Hinode mission of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in this new view of solar light.

The Sun is shown as a crimson orb with green slashes and a few brilliant blue pinpoints flitting across its surface. Around the star's periphery, a haze of red and green may be seen.

These pictures may shed light on the mystery of the corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun that is at least a hundred times hotter than the surface. Since the Sun's heat is generated at its centre and radiates outward, this phenomena has perplexed scientists; nevertheless, our findings may shed light on this mystery.\

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Nanoflares, which are tiny explosions in the Sun's atmosphere, might be a source of heat for the corona. Nanoflares are smaller and more frequent than regular flares, and their combined energy output might be enough to warm the corona.

Despite the fact that individual nanoflares are too weak to monitor the Sun's brilliant brightness, NuSTAR can detect light from the high-temperature material expected to be created when a large number of nanoflares occur in close proximity to one another. This capability allows scientists to look at the frequency and mechanism of energy release during nanoflares.

These pictures were taken during NASA's Parker Solar Probe's 12th perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun. The probe is now in orbit closer to the Sun than any other spacecraft in history. NuSTAR measurements made during one of Parker's perihelion flights will allow researchers to correlate distant observations of solar activity with Parker's firsthand sampling of the solar environment.