Scientists will create an artificial eclipse of the Sun to study its atmosphere
It took scientists more than 10 years to prepare the mission
European Space Agency
In a few weeks, scientists will launch the Proba-3 spacecraft, whose two satellites will simulate a total solar eclipse. So scientists are trying to understand solar failures in terrestrial technologies during this phenomenon.
During the flight, which is organized by the European Space Agency, the two devices will be connected by lasers and light sensors, informs The Guardian. At the same time, one probe will block the light of the Sun that falls on the other.
The mission took more than 10 years to plan, as its success required the creation of a series of sophisticated sensors that would keep the two satellites very close to each other.
During the mission, the spacecraft will fly around the Earth at a distance of 144 meters from each other, creating a single observatory.
“When the two satellites are in the correct orbit, one of them will release a disc that will exactly cover the sun as seen from the second satellite. This will create eclipses that will last up to six hours a day.”– said the manager of the Proba-3 project, Damien Galano.
With this, scientists will try to study the corona – the upper layer of the Sun’s atmosphere – which will help them understand how it causes failures in power lines, GPS satellites and other Earth-based technology.
On Earth, total solar eclipses occur when the Moon blocks the blinding light. Thanks to this, the fiery atmosphere of the star – the corona – remains available for inspection by scientists.
Scientists are particularly interested in studying this part of the Sun because of its temperature. If the surface of the star is heated to about 6000°С, then the temperature of its corona is about 1 million°С.
“Unfortunately, total solar eclipses occur on Earth about every two years on average, and scientists often have to travel long distances and depend on the weather to study them – while observations can only last a few minutes.”– explains solar energy specialist from University College London (UK) Francisco Diego.
However, even special devices – coronagraphs – are not capable of helping to see the solar corona. Although they can simulate eclipses with telescopes, they prevent scientists from observing the Sun’s corona in detail.
“We are protected by the atmosphere and the Van Allen radiation belts that surround the Earth. However, there is no such protection from this radiation in space, and if we want to send men and women to the moon and Mars, we need to know how the solar corona will behave.”– said Francisco Diego.
The European Space Agency believes that the mission can become a benchmark for future space flights, during which gravitational waves, exoplanets and black holes can be studied.
“It’s a very promising technology. It’s also very technically challenging. Getting it right will be challenging, but very rewarding.”– added Francisco Diego.
It will be recalled that researchers are trying to find a way to avoid potential collisions of asteroids with the Earth – this is what they are for simulate a nuclear explosion in the laboratory.
