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Health & Science4h 7m ago

A new optical component, smaller than a shirt button, developed at the University of California San Diego, could change how future space telescopes study the Sun.

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University of California San Diego, Dunn Solar Telescope in New Mexico

Who
University of California San Diego, BAE Systems, NASA
What
A new optical component, smaller than a shirt button, developed at the University of California San Diego, could change how future space telescopes study the Sun.
When
Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:41:00 GMT · 4h 7m ago
Where
University of California San Diego, Dunn Solar Telescope in New Mexico ·
Why
This component, called a metasurface polarisation grating, can measure light polarization simultaneously, overcoming vibration issues in current space telescopes and providing cleaner data.
The Frontline Impact

How this affects you

This advancement offers a more compact and simpler instrument for solar observation, leading to improved predictions of coronal mass ejections and better protection for Earth's satellites, power grids, and communication systems.

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