A New View of the Solar Corona from XRT

The X-ray Telescope (XRT) on the Hinode satellite is revolutionizing our view of the solar corona and its activity. For the first time we are able to observe the hot coronal structures with sufficient spatial resolution to see the deformations predicted in association with the storage and release of magnetic (non-potential) energy in the corona. This is providing us with a new capability for confronting theory with observations and thereby to make substantial progress in understanding the structuring, instability and dramatic energy release processes in the solar outer atmosphere.