These stunning images of the Sun's restless frothing surface reveal how its magnetic field is more turbulent and dynamic than previously thought.
The structure of the Sun's magnetic field can be seen rising from a sunspot in images taken by the Hinode spacecraft, launched last September to understand the misbehaviour of our local star and how it can disrupt communications and power grids on Earth and threaten astronauts on the way to or working on the moon.
The Hinode satellite, a joint Japanese, British and American mission, will study the Sun's magnetic field and how its explosive energy propagates through the different layers of the solar atmosphere. Solar scientists believe that Hinode - Japanese for sunrise - will have a dramatic impact on our understanding of the Sun.
By studying the Sun's magnetic field, scientists hope to shed light on explosive solar activity. In particular they want to identify the magnetic field configurations that lead to these violent energy releases, using this information to predict when these hazardous events may occur.
Where astronomers expected to see a calm region, Hinode revealed a boiling cauldron of swaying spikes. "These structures are 5,000 miles long and some extend twice that high," said Alan Title, from Lockheed Martin in California.
"Solar flares are fast and furious they can cause communication blackouts at Earth within 30 minutes of a flare erupting on the Sun's surface. It's imperative that we understand what triggers these events," said Prof Louise Harra, of University College London.