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Writer's pictureSophia Evans

Astronomers may soon be able to create eclipses at will

The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to study the Sun's outer atmosphere by using two satellites in Earth's orbit to generate an artificial solar eclipse.


Eclipse illustration
Eclipse illustration - Getty

During the total solar eclipse in North America on April 8, 2024, astronomers across the globe were ready to conduct a variety of experiments during the brief moments when the Moon blocked the Sun. The Sun's intense light makes it challenging to develop telescopes capable of observing it directly, which is why solar eclipses present a rare opportunity for scientists to study the Sun in detail.


Total solar eclipses are essential for comprehensive solar study, yet they occur only a few times each year and last just over 10 minutes. ESA now aims to create its own solar eclipse to address this limitation. In the fall of 2024, ESA will launch the robotic mission Proba-3 into Earth's orbit. The mission involves two interconnected satellites that will complete an orbit around Earth every 19.6 hours. These twin satellites, the first of their kind, have been in development for a decade and will use lasers and light sensors to maintain a precise formation. The satellites will follow an elliptical orbit, ranging from 60,000 to 600,000 kilometers from Earth. Positioned 144 meters apart, they will align in front of the Sun, allowing up to six hours of solar eclipse observation.


Aiming to study the sun's atmosphere


One of the satellites will block the Sun, creating an artificial total solar eclipse for the other satellite, which will gather data using small photodiodes designed to measure different wavelengths of light. “When the two satellites are in the correct orbit, one will deploy a disk that perfectly covers the Sun as viewed from the other satellite, creating eclipses that can last up to six hours a day,” says Proba-3 project manager Damien Galano.


The main objective of the Proba-3 mission is to study the innermost part of the Sun's outer atmosphere, known as the corona, which has an extraordinarily high temperature. While the Sun’s surface is around 6,000°C, the corona can reach up to a million degrees. “We will be able to closely examine the inner corona and obtain data that might help explain why it is so hot while the underlying solar surface remains relatively cool,” says Francisco Diego from University College to The Observer.


Looking to the Future


In the future, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of powerful solar storms that can impact Earth's technology and threaten astronaut safety. Additionally, scientists believe that the twin satellite technology used in Proba-3 could be adapted to study exoplanets, black holes, and gravitational waves.

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