In 1944, amateur astronomer Hisako Koyama's latest endeavor was sketching the Sun's shifting surface. She spent weeks angling her telescope towards the Sun and tracking every change she saw with drawings. Little did she know, these drawings were the start of one of the most important records of solar activity in human history. Alex Gendler details the incredible legacy of Koyama's work. [Directed by Martina Meštrović, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Marko First]. 

Alex Gendler: The woman who stared at the Sun

The woman who stared at the Sun

Hisako Koyama turned wartime blackouts into solar discovery, mapping sunspots that shape our understanding of solar phenomena.

With no formal training, Koyama's precise sun sketches now help scientists predict solar flares, safeguarding earthly technologies.

Koyama's meticulous records over 40 years became a cornerstone for reconstructing 400 years of solar activity, enhancing space safety.