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Groundbreaking Close-Up Images of the Sun Captured by Solar Orbiter

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Chapter 1: Unveiling the Sun

The Solar Orbiter has successfully captured the closest-ever photographs of the Sun, showcasing our star with remarkable clarity. These initial images from the Solar Orbiter, a collaborative mission between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), were made public following its launch on February 9 of this year and its first close approach to the Sun in mid-June.

Stunning view of the Sun captured by Solar Orbiter

An animation illustrates a series of visuals of the Sun taken with the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) aboard ESA/NASA’s Solar Orbiter on May 30, 2020. These images represent the Sun at a wavelength of 17 nanometers, located in the extreme ultraviolet segment of the electromagnetic spectrum. Observations at this wavelength expose the solar corona, its upper atmosphere, which reaches temperatures exceeding one million degrees. Image credit: Solar Orbiter/EUI Team (ESA & NASA); CSL, IAS, MPS, PMOD/WRC, ROB, UCL/MSSL.

“These groundbreaking images of the Sun mark a historic achievement. They will assist scientists in understanding the structure of the Sun’s atmospheric layers, which is crucial for comprehending how it influences space weather both on Earth and across the solar system,” expressed Holly Gilbert, NASA's project scientist for this mission at Goddard Space Flight Center.

I Traveled 150 Million Kilometers and Forgot the Marshmallows?

Amid the ongoing global pandemic, operations at the European Space Operations Center (ESOC) in Germany were halted during testing phases. On June 1 and 6, the spacecraft navigated through the ion and dust tails of comet ATLAS, which had recently fragmented while orbiting the Sun.

Solar Orbiter captures unique features on the Sun

Solar Orbiter has discovered 'campfires' on the Sun, with their locations indicated by white arrows. Image credit: Solar Orbiter/EUI Team (ESA & NASA); CSL, IAS, MPS, PMOD/WRC, ROB, UCL/MSSL.

On June 15, as the spacecraft approached within 77 million kilometers (48 million miles) of the Sun, ten sophisticated instruments were activated. Typically, the initial images from these instruments serve as tests, but this time was different. The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) unveiled previously unobserved 'campfires' scattered across the solar surface. Operating in ultraviolet wavelengths, the EUI can detect features as small as 400 km (250 miles) across, revealing activity at temperatures around one million degrees.

“The campfires we are discussing here are akin to the smaller relatives of solar flares, potentially a million to a billion times less intense. With the new high-resolution EUI images, they seem to be ubiquitous,” noted David Berghmans, an astrophysicist at the Royal Observatory of Belgium.

The precise origins of these campfires remain unclear, but they might relate to hypothetical nanoflares believed to heat the corona to extreme levels.

To determine the temperatures of these campfires and understand their origins, the Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE) instrument, also onboard the Solar Orbiter, will provide critical data. Researchers can expect to access this data soon.

“Hey Dad! Watch how high I can fly!” — Icarus

In addition to its solar observation capabilities, the Solar Orbiter is equipped with the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI), which monitors the Sun's dynamic movements and magnetic fields. Meanwhile, the Metis coronagraph blocks most sunlight to study the corona, the Sun's outer atmosphere.

The Heliospheric Imager (SoloHI) telescope detects solar wind surrounding the spacecraft. By analyzing the charged particles emitted by our star, astronomers aim to gain deeper insights into the processes occurring within the Sun.

The collaboration between the Solar Orbiter, the Parker Solar Probe, and ground-based solar observatories like the Inouye Solar Telescope could significantly enhance our understanding of the star that sustains life on Earth.

James Maynard is the founder and publisher of The Cosmic Companion. A New England native, he now resides in Tucson with his wife, Nicole, and their cat, Max.

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