Research group Solar Physics

The Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST) on the Spanish island of La Palma has undergone a significant upgrade. Operated by Stockholm University, this telescope now has a larger field of view, whilst critically maintaining sharpness. Additionally, it has gained the ability to measure light polarisation in a new range of wavelengths.

According to a Rector’s decision on June 26th Jaime de la Cruz Rodriguez is promoted to professor in astronomy.

On Tuesday July 25, a total of 9 institutions from 7 European countries signed in Santa Cruz de Tenerife the deed of the Canarian foundation that grants legal character to the project consortium and paves the way for the future construction of the European Solar Telescope.

20 years ago, in spring 2002, the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope (SST) saw first light. The full aperture of the telescope was opened on May 21. Already on the next day, May 22, the seeing got good. The very first exposure that was saved on disk was on a sunspot group. It demonstrated in a dramatic way that the telescope produced diffraction-limited images. This image was part of the data used for the first scientific publication  on the discovery of dark cores in penumbral filaments - which was  published in Nature  later in 2002.   During the two decades that have passed since then, the SST has acquired several advanced instruments. It has thus been able to stay on the frontline of solar research and its publication list is continuously growing. Happy birthday SST!