These close-up images of the Sun are so crazy, you won’t believe they’re real

Some astrophotographers know when they’ve landed a killer shot, and Mark Johnston, who also happens to be a NASA solar system ambassador, has managed to capture one such photograph of the Sun from his backyard in Arizona. Johnston shared the image with Digital Camera World, and they’re so highly detailed that they almost look computer generated.

Mind you, capturing images of the Sun can be difficult business. That’s because even looking at our solar system’s star through a camera lens can be extremely dangerous.