A 3.6-ton mirror three inches thick sits on a Maui volcano collecting sunlight, and keeping it from cooking itself takes seven miles of coolant pipe, thirteen separate temperatures and about a swimmin

Key Points:

• The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on Maui, the largest solar telescope on Earth with a 13.9-foot primary mirror, recently captured unprecedented images of swirling vortices caused by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability on the sun’s surface, revealing fine details down to about 19 kilometers.
• Managing the intense heat generated by focusing 12 kilowatts of solar power involves a complex cooling system with over seven miles of coolant piping, fans to regulate dome temperature, and a liquid-cooled heat-stop disc that discards 95% of the sunlight to prevent damage.
• The telescope’s mirror, made from a specially polished glass-ceramic called Zerodur, is only three inches thick and actively adjusted by actuators to maintain its shape despite gravity and temperature changes, enabling the high-resolution observations.
• The discovery of these solar vortices provides insight into magnetic flux braiding, a key process thought to contribute to solar flares, coronal heating, and space weather events that impact Earth’s satellites and power grids.
• Despite its scientific breakthroughs, the telescope faces potential funding cuts in the FY27 President’s Budget Request, proposing a 51% reduction in its budget, raising concerns about the future operation of this critical solar research facility.