Proba-3: Stunning pictures show the first ever artificial solar eclipse
The crown of the sun, shown in the same way as the way in which a human eye would see it during an eclipse, but through a green filter
ESA / SURBA-3 / ASPIICS
A carefully coordinated dance between twin satellites created the first artificial solar eclipse in space, revealing the burning crown of the sun in the smallest details.
The probation-3 mission, launched in December from last year, is operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and consists of two stealing satellites at a distance of 150 meters from each other.
One of the satellites, called the blackouts, carries a 1.4 -meter -wide carbon fiber and a plastic disc, which blocks sunlight for the second satellite, the corongraph, which is equipped with a camera and scientific instruments. To take the photos, there cannot be more than 1 million error in the way the two satellites are aligned.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uktgyvtfdgq
In March, the satellites stole independently and aligned for several hours, taking exhibitions of several seconds from the eclipsed sun. ESA scientists could assemble them to produce complete photos of the crown of the sun, the external part of its atmosphere, which can reach temperatures which are millions of degrees warmer than its surface.
“The first time I saw these photos was hard to believe,” said Damien Galano to Esa. “But quickly, it was also a very, very strong feeling of success and pride for everything we have done over the years.”
The image above shows the visible light of the crown, the same as that which one could see by the human eye, but with a green filter.
This image shows the light emitted by the iron impoverished by electrons in the warmest regions of the crown
ESA / SURBA-3 / ASPIICS
The prob-3 camera can also look at the light frequencies which correspond to specific elements in the crown of the sun, such as the darker green image, which shows the light emitted by iron extremely depleted by electrons which exists in the warmer regions of the crown.
“We can clearly see the crown, which is already a major achievement,” explains Galano.
The crown of the sun in a polarized white light, which has been artificially colored to appear purple
ESA / SURBA-3 / ASPIICS
The image above shows the crown of the sun, artificially colored to appear purple, in polarized white light. This was captured using a special technique that allows scientists to separate polarized light from the hot crown from light dispersed by interplanetary dust.
These images should mainly test that probably operated properly, but when the mission is fully operational, it will be able to take photos of artificial eclipses every 19.6 hours, each time it orbit the land, including longer exhibitions which last up to six hours.
This will improve our understanding of Corona du Soleil physics, explains Galano, as well as helping us better understand the solar wind and coronal mass ejections, which affect the space weather.
Embark on an extraordinary adventure in August 2026 to attend a breathtaking total solar eclipse. Subjects:
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