FLORIDA – Spacecraft NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on a sun-observing mission captured the phenomenon eclipse in space. The spacecraft captured the eclipse from a unique vantage point, just as the moon passed in front of the sun on Wednesday 29 June 2022.
“At the peak of the eclipse, the moon covered 67% of the sun, and the lunar mountains were illuminated by solar fire,” wrote SpaceWeather.com.
SDO typically observes the sun as a source of space weather, or radiation in space that affects Earth. Aspects he studies include the sun’s magnetic field, sunspots and other aspects that affect activity during the regular 11-year solar cycle.
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“SDO studies how solar activity is created and drives space weather. Measurements of the sun’s interior, atmosphere, magnetic field, and energy output by spacecraft all work to help us understand the stars we live in,” NASA wrote.
SDO was launched in February 2010 and is part of a network of solar spacecraft from NASA and its partner agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The sun has recently been quite active and unusually early in its cycle, which should peak around 2025.
Scientists are interested in following the story of the origin of solar flares and the accompanying coronal mass ejection of charged particles, which can create colorful aurorae in Earth’s atmosphere if the CME is directed at our planet. Usually CMEs are harmless, but powerful explosions can disrupt satellites, power lines, and other infrastructure.
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That is why scientists are so interested in good predictions. In fact, NASA has sent a close observation mission called the Parker Solar Probe to investigate the corona or the extremely hot outer region of the sun, while other satellites observe from afar.
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