The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) instrument, a component of the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, has successfully captured groundbreaking full-disk images of the Sun in the wavelength range of 200-400 nm. Utilizing various scientific filters, SUIT attained images of the Sun’s photosphere and chromosphere in this specific wavelength range. The instrument was activated on November 20, 2023, and, after a successful pre-commissioning phase, recorded its inaugural light science images on December 6, 2023, according to a statement from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
These unprecedented images, obtained through eleven different filters, mark the first-ever complete representations of the Sun in wavelengths spanning 200 to 400 nm, excluding Ca II h. The SUIT observations revealed significant solar features such as sunspots, plage, and quiet Sun regions. This breakthrough provides scientists with valuable insights into the intricate details of the Sun’s photosphere and chromosphere.
The SUIT observations play a crucial role in studying the dynamic interactions within the magnetized solar atmosphere. Additionally, they assist scientists in establishing stringent constraints on the impact of solar radiation on Earth’s climate. The collaborative effort for SUIT’s development was led by the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, involving institutions such as ISRO, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, IISER-Kolkata, Indian Institute of Astrophysics Bengaluru, Udaipur Solar Observatory, and Tezpur University Assam.
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