Tom O’Grady from Ohio University explores early humanity’s understanding of the sun, moon, and Earth, while highlighting recent advancements in solar research. The European Space Agency (ESA) announced an innovative achievement on June 16: two satellites, Coronagraph and Occulter, successfully executed an “artificial total solar eclipse” in space. These satellites flew 429 feet apart in perfect formation for several hours, independent of ground control, to enhance the scientific understanding of the sun and its atmosphere.
The Proba-3 mission aims to study the sun’s corona, the outer atmosphere, and better understand solar winds—continuous flows of particles from the sun—and coronal mass ejections, which can have significant effects on Earth. Dietmar Pilz, director of technology at ESA, expressed excitement over the successful validation of new technologies through this mission, which has generated ten artificial eclipses so far, with the longest lasting five hours. Lead scientist Andrei Zhukov described the success of the mission as astonishing, considering it was their first attempt.
The creation of these artificial eclipses involved the ASPIICS optical instrument on the Coronagraph capturing detailed images of the solar corona while the Occulter blocked sunlight. These images are processed at the Royal Observatory of Belgium, paving the way for groundbreaking observational capabilities that surpass current coronagraphs. Jorge Amaya, an ESA space weather modeling coordinator, noted that Proba-3 can observe the corona near the solar surface, a feat previously only achievable during natural eclipses. The data obtained will enhance computer models of solar phenomena, aiding preparation for impacts on Earth, benefiting both citizens and industries.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
