In a groundbreaking new study, a team led by scientists from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Solar Observatory (NSO) has captured the sharpest-ever view of the Sun’s surface, revealing ultra-fine magnetic “stripes,” known as striations, just 20 kilometers wide—roughly the length of Manhattan. Using the NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, built and operated by the NSO, the team observed these bright and dark striations rippling across the walls of solar granules, caused by curtain-like magnetic fields that modify light much like fabric fluttering in the wind. The discovery uncovers a new layer of complexity in the Sun’s magnetic structure and demonstrates the Inouye Solar Telescope’s unmatched ability to resolve features previously thought beyond reach—offering new clues to how magnetism shapes solar phenomena.