Solar Orbiter Images Sun’s South Pole in 2025

The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter mission has captured humanity's first direct images of the Sun's south pole, reaching a 17-degree orbital tilt with the help of Venus flybys. The images, released in June 2025, reveal a chaotic tangle of magnetic fields and the presence of both north and south magnetic polarities at the south pole during a period of peak solar activity. This discovery is significant for understanding the Sun’s 11-year cycle and the imminent magnetic field reversal, with direct implications for predicting solar weather that can disrupt power and communications on Earth. Scientists describe the south pole's magnetic state as a 'magnetic mess.' The mission will continue with plans for higher-inclination flybys to further study the Sun's magnetic behavior. Experts believe this marks the dawn of a new era in heliophysics.