The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has released the first-ever full-disk images of the Sun in near-ultraviolet wavelengths, captured by the Aditya-L1 spacecraft. Launched earlier this year, Aditya-L1 is India’s maiden sun mission. The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) instrument on board the spacecraft took the images using 11 different filters in wavelengths ranging from 200 to 400 nm.
The images reveal various features of the Sun, including sunspots, plage, and quiet Sun regions. Sunspots, darker in appearance, are relatively cooler than other parts of the Sun, though they are still extremely hot at around 6,500°F. Sunspots can emit powerful coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that have the potential to impact Earth and trigger geomagnetic storms.
The SUIT instrument, one of the seven payloads on Aditya-L1, was developed by a team of 50 scientists, researchers, and students at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune. This achievement marks a significant milestone for India’s space program and space research community.
The Aditya-L1 mission aims to study the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona, and its impact on the Earth’s climate. Launched on September 2, the mission carries seven scientific payloads developed indigenously by ISRO and various national research laboratories. The spacecraft will provide valuable data to enhance our understanding of the Sun and its influence on space weather.
The successful capture and release of these images showcase India’s growing capabilities in space exploration and solar research. The Aditya-L1 mission contributes to the global efforts in understanding the dynamics of the Sun and its potential impacts on our planet.
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