Solar Orbiter sends back first live observations from the Sun's south pole

Starry Poles: Launched from Cape Canaveral five years ago, the Solar Orbiter has steadily delivered stunning insights about our star. Its latest achievement – a first-ever glimpse of the Sun's polar region – marks another leap forward, and researchers believe the most important discoveries are still to come.

The Solar Orbiter (SolO) recently captured the first direct observations of the Sun's south pole – a region long shrouded in mystery. These unprecedented glimpses are crucial to understanding the star's inner workings and, according to the European Space Agency, may help scientists better predict solar activity in the future.

Launched in February 2020, SolO represents a key scientific partnership between ESA and NASA. It captures detailed observations of the Sun's inner heliosphere, solar wind, and polar regions. Unlike planets and Earth-based instruments, which view mainly the Sun's equatorial zone, SolO travels on a tilted orbit that offers a unique ...