Sun’s south pole revealed for first time, in images from Solar Orbiter spacecraft

For the first time ever, we’re getting a close-up look at the sun’s south pole, thanks to the Solar Orbiter spacecraft. The images reveal a wild, patchy mess of magnetic activity—something scientists say is crucial for understanding why the sun’s magnetic field flips every 11 years. This mission, a collaboration between ESA and NASA, managed to swing below the sun’s equator and snap these never-before-seen shots of its polar regions.