# World’s largest solar telescope spots tiny vortices on Sun

2026-08-10T12:54:37+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Observations from the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) have revealed tiny swirling structures on the Sun's surface at a scale of about 19 kilometres, the smallest ever seen. The findings, published in Nature, show vortices forming around magnetic regions, with sizes ranging from 25 to 170 kilometres and moving at speeds between 0.67 and 3 km per second. Scientists attribute these swirls to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, which occurs when fluid layers move at different speeds. Computer simulations matched the observed shapes and behaviour, confirming the cause. The discovery could help explain how energy and magnetic fields flow through the solar atmosphere.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/the-worlds-largest-solar-telescope-resolved-the-sun-at-about-19-km-scale-and-revealed-ubiquitous-plasma-vortices-that-may-help-explain-how-magnetic-energy-moves/articleshow/133102310.cms>

Tags: DKIST, Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, Plasma vortices, Solar physics, Solar telescope, Sun
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