Astronomers create first map of the sun’s outer boundary

Astronomers have produced the first continuous, two-dimensional maps of the outer edge of the sun’s atmosphere, a shifting, frothy boundary that marks where solar winds escape the sun’s magnetic grasp. By combining the maps and close-up measurements, scientists from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) showed that the boundary grows larger, rougher and spikier as the sun becomes more active. The findings could help scientists improve models showing how the sun affects Earth, and better predict atmospheric complexity for other stars.