Latest news with #solarEclipse
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Line Up Satellites to Create "Artificial Total Solar Eclipse"
Two satellites just carefully lined up to form a perfect "artificial total solar eclipse" in orbit. Earlier this year, the two probes, which are part of the European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission, positioned themselves in a perfect line 492 feet apart to have one of them perfectly obfuscate the Sun's rays. Impressively, they were able to maintain their position with an accuracy down to the millimeter. The outermost satellite then snapped fascinating pictures of the Sun's corona, the outermost part of our star's atmosphere, something that's generally speaking only possible during a natural solar eclipse. The first "Occulter" satellite's 4.6-foot disc cast a three-inch shadow onto the Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun (ASPIICS) instrument mounted to the second "Coronagraph" satellite, allowing it to get an uninterrupted view of the Sun's corona. The spectacular satellite dance could give researchers new ways to study solar wind, or the continuous flow of particles from the Sun. It could also give them new views of coronal mass ejections, powerful explosions of plasma and magnetic fields that have been linked to radio blackouts and GPS outages here on Earth. "It is exciting to see these stunning images validate our technologies in what is now the world's first precision formation flying mission," said ESA director of technology Dietmar Pilz in a statement. Researchers behind the stunt are excited to gather even more images and data of the Sun's corona. "I was absolutely thrilled to see the images, especially since we got them on the first try," ASPIICS principal investigator Andrei Zhukov added. "Now we are working on extending the observation time to six hours in every orbit." "Each full image — covering the area from the occulted Sun all the way to the edge of the field of view – is actually constructed from three images," he explained. "Combining the three images gives us the full view of the corona." Best of all, Zhukov and his colleagues found that the satellites' "'artificial eclipse' images are comparable with those taken during a natural eclipse." "The difference is that we can create our eclipse once every 19.6-hour orbit," he added, "while total solar eclipses only occur naturally around once, very rarely twice a year." Scientists are already excited about the glut of new observations that could greatly enhance existing research into the Sun's atmosphere, including efforts to use computer simulations to predict future patterns. "This huge flow of observations will help refine computer models further as we compare and adjust variables to match the real images," said ESA space weather modeling coordinator Jorge Amaya in the statement. More on solar eclipses: Here's What NASA's Rovers See During an Eclipse on Mars
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
A fake solar eclipse? European satellites photograph ‘eclipse-making' mission
Two European satellites took photographs of a recent experiment, taken while facing the sun, where they mimicked the circumstances that cause a total solar eclipse. Launched last year, the Proba-3 mission consists of twin satellites sent into Earth's orbit to study the sun's corona, where the sun's atmosphere emits light and flares, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). In March, the satellites accomplished their mission, and ESA released images of the artificial solar eclipse on Monday. One satellite, obstructing the sun, hovered 492 feet away from the other probe, which aimed its telescope toward the sun's corona, the ESA said. The satellites had to be perfectly aligned to capture 'images of the solar corona uninterrupted by the sun's bright light,' the agency said in its statement. 'It is exciting to see these stunning images validate our technologies in what is now the world's first precision formation flying mission,' Dietmar Pilz, the ESA's director of technology, engineering and quality, said in the statement. The difference between these artificial eclipses and real ones is that artificial eclipses can be made every 19.6 hours that the satellites orbit Earth and can be held for up to six hours, Andrei Zhukov of the Royal Observatory of Belgium said in the statement. In contrast, natural eclipses happen twice a year and last a few minutes. This accomplishment gives ESA and other space agencies the chance to better study eclipses and the sun's surface, rather than wait for natural eclipses to happen, the agency added. Strawberries on the brain? This full moon could be the treat for you Here are 10 NASA missions that could be grounded under Trump's 2026 budget Selfie on Mars? Here's how NASA caught a new glimpse of the Martian surface New research says our universe only has a quinvigintillion years left, so make 'em good ones Video: Erupting volcanoes cause 'dancing' light show in space Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
First artificial solar eclipse from space captured by ESA Proba-3 mission
A satellite duo orbiting our planet has just captured the very first images of an artificial solar eclipse from space, providing us with a spectacular view of the Sun's corona — a view only rarely available to us here on Earth. Total solar eclipses are amazing to behold. They spark awe and wonder in those fortunate enough to witness the event. Also, the brief moments of totality give us a chance to see and study parts of the Sun that are nearly impossible to observe at any other time. The April 8 total solar eclipse, imaged from Dallas, Texas, during 'totality', when the Moon completely blocked the Sun. While a few red-tinged prominances are visible along the edge of the Moon, the primary feature we see is the solar corona, which is shaped and sculpted by the Sun's powerful magnetic fields. (NASA/Keegan Barber) The solar corona is the Sun's atmosphere. It is the source of the solar wind, which constantly flows past our planet and causes auroras to shine near the north and south poles. It also holds one of the biggest mysteries of our solar system, as it reaches temperatures of about 1 million degrees Celsius, while the surface of the Sun (the photosphere) is only around 5,500°C. There have been clues over the years, but overall, scientists are still trying to find out exactly why the corona is so much hotter than the photosphere. The main reason for this is that studying the corona is challenging. We can see it during a total solar eclipse, but those are few and far in-between. And even when one does occur, the time they have to observe it — right at totality — only lasts for a few minutes each time. Jets have been able to extend this time a bit, as they fly straight down the path of totality, but the shadow of the Moon moves too quickly to get a sustained look. Special cameras known as coronagraphs give us longer observations of the corona. Two flying in space right now, one on the NASA/ESA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and the other on the GOES-19 weather satellite, have a small disk at the end of an arm positioned in front of the camera lens to cover the Sun. Two composite views of the Sun from SOHO and the Solar Dynamics Observatory show the outer parts of the solar corona. As the innermost part of each image reveals, there is a lot of space between the inner edge of SOHO's coronagraph view and the surface of the Sun, which means we do not get a consistent look at the inner corona. (NASA SDO/NASA-ESA SOHO/Scott Sutherland) With that disk in place, the sensitive camera can then pick up the much fainter activity going on around the Sun. However, when scientists fly one of these instruments, they have to account for the entire range of distance the satellite will be from the Sun, thus the disk has to give a lot of leeway, to prevent the Sun from peaking around the edge of the coronagraph and burning out the optics. Thus, these coronagraphs can never give us as good a view of the corona as we see during a total solar eclipse, where we can even view the very lowest layers of the Sun's atmosphere. The European Space Agency's Proba-3 mission solves that problem, though. The two satellites that are part of the mission — the Coronagraph and the Occulter — fly in precise formation, orbiting around the Earth. Each time they come around on the Sun-ward side of the planet, they line up perfectly, at just the right distance, that the Occulter perfectly covers up the Sun's disk, just like the Moon does during a total solar eclipse. Proba-3's Coronagraph and Occulter fly in tandom as they loop around the sunward side of Earth, with the Occulter at the precise distance to block the Sun's disk for the camera. (ESA) Now, Proba-3 has sent back its very first artificial solar eclipse images, and the results are pretty amazing. "Seeing the first data from ASPIICS is incredibly exciting," Joe Zender, Proba-3 project scientist, said in an ESA press release. "Together with the measurements made by another instrument on board, DARA, ASPIICS will contribute to unravelling long-lasting questions about our home star." The Sun's inner corona is revealed in this image taken by Proba-3's ASPIICS coronagraph, on May 23, 2025. The image shows the corona similar to how the human eye would see it during an eclipse, but through a green filter. The details of the image were enhanced by a specialized image processing algorithm. (ESA) "Each full image — covering the area from the occulted Sun all the way to the edge of the field of view — is actually constructed from three images," said Andrei Zhukov, the principal investigator for ASPIICS at the Royal Observatory of Belgium. "The difference between those is only the exposure time, which determines how long the coronagraph's aperture is exposed to light. Combining the three images gives us the full view of the corona." "Our 'artificial eclipse' images are comparable with those taken during a natural eclipse," Zhukov explained. "The difference is that we can create our eclipse once every 19.6-hour orbit, while total solar eclipses only occur naturally around once, very rarely twice a year. On top of that, natural total eclipses only last a few minutes, while Proba-3 can hold its artificial eclipse for up to 6 hours.' This artist's impression shows the Proba-3 Occulter blocking the Sun's disk so that the Coronagraph can image the space around the Sun. (ESA) At the moment, Proba-3 is still receiving guidance from ESA operators on the ground, so that the two spacecraft continue to fly in perfect formation. However, the mission team's goal is to get the two doing this precision flying all on their own. Once that happens, they can leave the pair to send back new observations after each orbit. The data returned by the mission will not only help researchers solve the mysteries of the corona's extreme temperatures, but it will also help space weather scientists, as well. The images returned by Proba-3 can act as an important tool to verify their computer models of the corona, which are used to forecast the impacts of solar activity here on Earth. Thus, as Proba-3 continues to send back data, this could improve our ability to forecast auroras or even the potential disruptions to satellites and power grids that can result from extreme space weather. Click here to view the video
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
European satellites succeed in creating artificial solar eclipse
June 17 (UPI) -- A European space agency created the first "artificial total solar eclipse" using a pair of satellites on Monday. The space agency Proba-3 showed the first images of the Sun's outer atmosphere -- the solar corona. In its announcement, the agency said that this will help improve the understanding of the sun and its atmosphere. A pair of spacecrafts was used, the Coronagraph and the Occulter. They flew 492 feet apart for several hours without any control from the ground to create an artificial total solar eclipse's orbit. The two satellites use an optical instrument to take photos of the sun's corona. The agency's goal for this mission was to observe the sun's corona, which the agency said is important for studying solar wind and understanding coronal mass ejections. "Many of the technologies which allowed Proba-3 to perform precise formation flying have been developed through ESA's General Support Technology Program, as has the mission itself. It is exciting to see these stunning images validate our technologies in what is now the world's first precision formation flying mission," Dietmar Pilz, ESA director of Technology, Engineering and Quality said. "I was absolutely thrilled to see the images, especially since we got them on the first try," Andrei Zhukov, principal investigator for ASPIICS at the Royal Observatory of Belgium said. "Our 'artificial eclipse' images are comparable with those taken during a natural eclipse. The difference is that we can create our eclipse once every 19.6-hour orbit, while total solar eclipses only occur naturally around once, very rarely twice a year. On top of that, natural total eclipses only last a few minutes, while Proba-3 can hold its artificial eclipse for up to 6 hours," said Zhukov. The Proba-3 mission is led by ESA, managed by Spain's Sener, with more than 29 companies from 14 countries involved.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Why This Recent Total Solar Eclipse Was the First of Its Kind
The Sun's outer atmosphere—the corona—only reveals itself during total solar eclipses, which happen about every 18 months on Earth, and are only visible along a narrow path. These events offer scientists a rare opportunity to observe the Sun's violent surface—but now, they won't have to wait on the cosmos to do so. On Monday, June 16, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced that its Proba-3 mission created the world's first artificial total solar eclipse. The mission's two satellites, the Occulter and the Coronagraph, autonomously aligned in space to blot out the Sun's surface and capture images of the corona. Proba-3's success won't just expand access to solar data—it also demonstrates an entirely new level of satellite formation flying. 'I was absolutely thrilled to see the images, especially since we got them on the first try,' said Andrei Zhukov, principal investigator for the Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetry and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun (ASPIICS) at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, according to the ESA announcement. The agency launched the Proba-3 mission on December 5, 2024, sending the Occulter and Coronagraph to solar orbit. In May, the two satellites achieved something no spacecraft had done before: Occulter and Coronagraph autonomously aligned in space with millimeter (0.04-inch) precision and maintained their relative position for hours without any intervention from ground control. To create the artificial eclipse, the two satellites had to align with roughly 500 feet (150 meters) between them, allowing Occulter's 4.6-foot (1.4-meter) disc to cast a 3-inch (8-centimeter) shadow on Coronagraph's optical instrument. This blotted out the surface of the Sun from Coronagraph's perspective, allowing it to photograph the wispy corona. 'Our 'artificial eclipse' images are comparable with those taken during a natural eclipse,' Zhukov said. 'The difference is that we can create our eclipse once every 19.6-hour orbit, while total solar eclipses only occur naturally around once, very rarely twice a year. On top of that, natural total eclipses only last a few minutes, while Proba-3 can hold its artificial eclipse for up to 6 hours.' This first round of coronal images offers a glimpse into the valuable data this eclipse-making mission will produce, according to ESA. Studying the corona is scientifically valuable for a number of reasons. For one, the corona drives solar wind—the continuous flow of charged particles from the Sun into outer space—and explosive jets of highly magnetized plasma called coronal mass ejections. Observing these forces is crucial to understanding solar weather, which can affect Earth's satellites, communication systems, and power grids. Insights from Proba-3 and subsequent corona-imaging missions could help scientists better prepare for the threat of a severe solar storm. In May, participants from several U.S. agencies ran the first-ever solar storm emergency drill, revealing major shortcomings in scientists' ability to forecast space weather and protect critical infrastructure. The corona may also hold the answer to a scientific mystery. This outer layer of the Sun's atmosphere extends millions of miles out into space, but somehow reaches temperatures about 200 times hotter than the surface of the Sun. Experts have described this puzzling phenomenon, dubbed the coronal heating problem, as 'one of the most vexing questions in modern solar physics.' The Proba-3 mission aims to solve this mystery by using Coronagraph's optical instrument to study the corona very close to the Sun's surface, according to ESA. This state-of-the-art instrument reduces the amount of stray light that reaches the detector, allowing it to capture more detail and detect fainter features than traditional coronagraphs have in the past. 'Current coronagraphs are no match for Proba-3, which will observe the Sun's corona down almost to the edge of the solar surface,' said Jorge Amaya, space weather modeling coordinator at ESA, in the agency's announcement. 'So far, this was only possible during natural solar eclipses.' In addition to conducting valuable solar science, Proba-3 paves the way for autonomous precision formation flying that will be crucial for future multi-spacecraft missions such as ESA's Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). Proba-3 will observe the Sun's corona for about two years, capturing images once only possible during rare celestial alignments. The flood of new observations should drastically improve scientists' understanding of our home star—the force that makes life here on Earth possible.
