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This impressive helical plume was observed extending over two million kilometers, a vivid spectacle of plasma that holds significant clues about the Sun's magnetic field and its impact on solar wind—a stream of energetic particles traveling through space that can influence Earth. The findings were published in the prestigious Astrophysical Journal, shedding light on how the Sun operates.
To capture this breathtaking scene, the Solar Orbiter utilized a specialized device known as METIS, designed to block the Sun's bright glare and allow for detailed observations of its corona, a luminous layer only visible during total solar eclipses. Although helical structures have been recorded before, this specific observation provided unprecedented detail and duration of such phenomena.