The National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST), located on the island of Maui, Hawaii, stands as the largest solar telescope globally. It’s dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the Sun’s explosive phenomena, with a primary focus on observing magnetic fields. Recently Meadowlark built an optic called Andre as well as other polarization optics that are being used in DKIST.

The telescope employs innovative techniques such as an off-axis design to minimize scattered light and advanced polarimetry to conduct ongoing measurements of the Sun’s corona’s magnetic fields. Its four-meter mirror enables unprecedented views of the solar atmosphere, capturing minute changes with remarkable detail. The telescope’s cutting-edge instrument suite facilitates the gathering of high-resolution images from the Sun’s surface to its lower atmosphere, unveiling features three times smaller than previously observable and doing so multiple times per second.

Moreover, the telescope’s spectroscopic capabilities enable the observation of distinct atomic and ionic fingerprints across the solar surface and atmosphere, aiding in understanding the dynamic behaviors of the Sun.