‘Clearest Picture of the Sun From NASA’ Tweet Goes Viral, Know Truth Behind the Software-Processed Image

Photos and videos from the space often take over the internet, leaving astronomy enthusiast mesmerised. Do you remember the video shared by a NASA astronaut which captured planet earth from space? The short clip was breathtaking, and in no time, went viral, showing the increasing interest among sky gazers. On a similar note, a photo is surfacing online with the claim that it is the “clearest picture of the Sun from NASA.” The pic is stunning, but there is a catch! Here, we bring you the truth behind the software-processed image.

Twitter page @Nature_Is_Lit posted the picture with the caption, “The clearest picture of the sun from NASA.” Soon it went viral leaving space lovers enthralled. At the time of writing this, the pic received more than 3K retweets and above 22K likes and the count is only increasing.

Here's the Viral Tweet:

However, there are two important things one must know about the viral image. First, the picture was not captured or shared by US space agency NASA. Second, it was created by astrophotographer Jason Guenzel, and it is a ‘heavily’ software-processed image—an excellent work of ‘science and art.’

In the original tweet, Guenzel captioned the image, “This heavily software-processed image of the solar chromosphere reveals the complex nature of the magnetic field within our star. Walking the thin line between science and art ... perhaps blurring it a bit.” The chromosphere is the second of the three main layers in the Sun's atmosphere. Jupiter-Saturn Winter Solstice Great Conjunction 2020 Photos: Netizens Share Beautiful Pictures of Rare Christmas Star Gracing The Night Sky. 

Original Tweet by Jason Guenzel:

The picture was shared on Reddit, Twitter and Instagram by Guenzel. On Reddit, the astrophotographer explained how he created the Sun's image using photos collected through his backyard solar telescope. “While editing my results. I just kept pushing harder and harder into the details of the solar chromosphere.” He added, “As I ventured further down this road, it became clear that the end result becomes somewhat of a visualization of this field. Plus, it looks pretty cool.” Surely, it does.

The image has gone viral and undoubtedly impressed netizens, with some noting that the Sun is furry! It appears so. Photography and amazing work of art can do wonders, giving us a closer glimpse at how the star looks.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 08, 2021 06:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).