First Solar Images from Sunrise III

The balloon-borne solar observatory Sunrise III captured images of the Sun with highest resolution in July of this year during its six-and-a-half-day stratospheric flight. The team has published the first, carefully processed images today. They show smallest structures on the Sun’s visible surface, only 50 kilometers in size. The Sunrise III data make it possible to follow processes on the solar surface and in its lower atmosphere at an unprecedented height resolution for several hours without interruption. The Sun has been particularly active during the entire year, and also during Sunrise III's research flight. Therefore, in addition to sunspots and dynamic magnetic fields, the observatory was able to witness two solar flares. The images from the on-board camera have now also been processed. They impressively document the unique research adventure at the boundary to space.