Heliophysics, that is, solar physics, is devoted to the study of the Sun, active, transient phenomena appearing in the solar atmosphere and their influence on the Earth environment. This is one of the branches of astronomy practiced in our Institute. We utilize our own optical observations from two solar telescopes in Białków observatory, as well as optical, UV and X-ray observations from many space observatories. At present, the following research projects in heliophysics are realized in our Institute:

• Analysis of the energy release mechanisms in solar flares.
• Modeling of characteristics and behavior of hot plasma in solar flares.
• Searching for mechanisms which heat solar corona.
• Observations of active phenomena in the solar atmosphere (sunspots, protuberances, flares) with two coronographs in Białków and Wrocław in coordination with other ground-based and space observatories. The study of dynamics, kinematics, and morphological changes of solar prominences.
• Prediction of periodic and quasiperiodic solar phenomena.
• Study of dependencies between solar activity and the solar wind as well as cosmic ray parameters.
• Study of solar radio bursts.
• Study of solar coronal cavities and coronal mass ejections.
• Comparative study of solar and stellar flare activity observed in X-rays and optical light.

There are two observing facilities used by the scientists in Wrocław: 53-cm coronograph, still the largest in the world, in the Białków Observatory supplied in the unique imaging spectrograph MSDP. The other is 15 cm auxiliary horizontal solar telescope. We are in the process of constructing the radio solar interferometer.

We also extensively use the observations made onboard the satellite observatories, mainly SOHO, YOHKOH and TRACE, STEREO, RHESSI, Kepler, TESS, CHEOPS, SDO, Hinode, Solar Orbiter, XMM-Newton, Fermi, Swift. We are waiting for Proba-3 and PLATO.