The Solar Orbiter spacecraft has provided us with the clearest images of the sun’s upper atmosphere, or corona, that we have ever seen. Launched as a joint mission between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, this advanced instrument has been orbiting the sun since 2020, transmitting valuable data back to Earth.
In March 2023, the Solar Orbiter captured stunning images of the sun’s corona using ultraviolet light. This revealed intricate details of the outer atmosphere, showcasing the intense plasma eruptions at a scorching temperature of 1 million degrees Celsius. Typically hidden by the sun’s bright light, the corona can only be observed by blocking out visible light or using ultraviolet light, as shown in these images.
To create a full mosaic of the sun’s corona, numerous zoomed-in images were stitched together, resulting in an impressive 8000-pixel mosaic. Going forward, ESA plans to release two high-resolution images of the sun’s corona each year, offering a deeper understanding of this dynamic region.
In addition to the corona, the Solar Orbiter also captured images of the sun’s visible surface, or photosphere, in visible light. This layer of the sun, with temperatures ranging from 4500 to 6000 degrees Celsius, revealed sunspots as dark regions that emit less light due to their cooler temperatures.
Using magnetic instruments onboard the spacecraft, the Solar Orbiter mapped the sun’s magnetic field, showing concentrations around sunspot regions. These magnetic fields direct charged particles away from the sunspots, contributing to their cooler appearance.
Furthermore, the Solar Orbiter tracked the speed and direction of plasma movement on the sun’s surface, revealing a tachogram that depicts blue for movement towards the spacecraft and red for movement away. This data illustrates how plasma mostly follows the sun’s spin but diverges around sunspot regions.
These detailed images will aid scientists in understanding the behavior of the sun’s corona and photosphere. Furthermore, the Solar Orbiter will soon provide images of the sun’s poles, offering a new perspective on these unexplored regions. Researchers anticipate significant differences in the appearance of the sun’s poles compared to other areas, providing valuable insights into these enigmatic regions of the sun.
