India’s Aditya-L1 Spacecraft Makes Historic Sun Discovery

India’s fledgling foray into solar observation is already yielding groundbreaking results. Scientists have achieved a significant milestone with the country’s latest mission, Aditya-L1, which journeyed into space in 2023. The spacecraft successfully used its central scientific instrument, the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (Velc), to pinpoint the precise start time of a coronal mass ejection (CME). This event occurred on July 16, marking the first time an Indian mission has captured such an event.

Understanding CME: A Threat and an Enigma

CMEs are colossal outbursts from the Sun’s outer layers known as the corona. Despite their distance, they pose a potential threat to Earth and infrastructure in space.

“Imagine a massive fireball traveling at 3,000 kilometers per second,” said Prof R Ramesh from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, who designed Velc.

“CMEs can weigh up to a trillion kilograms and can move in all directions, including towards Earth.” Professor Ramesh noted that even at their highest speed, it would take approximately 15 hours for a CME to traverse the 150 million km between the Sun and Earth.

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Professor Ramesh explained

that the CME captured by Waffle’s on July 16 originated at 13:08 GMT but altered its course after half an hour, veering away from Earth.

Understanding Understanding

Earth’s Blissful Ignorance

While solar storms, flares, and regular CMEs can impact Earth’s weather and disrupt satellites in orbit, this particular event did not directly affect our planet’s magnetic field.

The impacts of these solar events vary greatly, ranging from the breathtaking aurora borealis near Earth’s poles to more profound and disruptive consequences in space. These effects can lead to malfunctions in satellite technology, power grid instabilities,

and disruptions to weather forecasting and communications. The sun’s intense activity is nothing new, however. In 1859, a solar storm known as the Carrington Event took place, unleashing aurora sights globally and disrupting telegraph systems worldwide.

Aditya-L1: A Unique Vantage Point

India now stands alongside superpowers like the US space agency NASA, the European Space Agency, Japan, and China, who have been observing the Sun for decades.
Aditya-L1

stands apart because of its ability to always view the Sun, even during Jira solicit frames blemishes. ”

Our instrument is designed like a moon mimicking its role, giving Aditya-L1 an uninterrupted view of the corona round the clock,” Prof Alves

remark среда

.

“Larger

spacecraft, like those of NASA and ESA, cannot see where CMEs

The future looks bright for Aditya-L1 and the Indian space program. This mission promises to unveil more secrets about the phenomenon, refine solar storm forecasts, and empower humanity to better understand and navigate the complexities of space weather.

What specific advancements in space weather forecasting or ⁤mitigation ​strategies could result from the data collected by the ​Aditya-L1 mission⁤ and the Velc instrument?

## ⁣ India’s Aditya-L1 Spacecraft ​Makes Historic​ Solar Discovery

**Interviewer:** Joining ⁤us today is ​Professor R Ramesh from the Indian⁢ Institute of Astrophysics, the visionary behind the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (Velc), ⁢the groundbreaking instrument ⁢aboard‍ India’s Aditya-L1 spacecraft. Professor Ramesh, congratulations on this incredible achievement.⁣ Can you tell ⁤us more about this historic discovery?

**Professor Ramesh:** Thank​ you.​ This is a truly‍ exciting ⁣moment for India’s space program and for solar research as a whole. On July 16th, ​Aditya-L1‍ successfully captured the‌ precise onset of a coronal mass ejection (CME) using Velc. This⁤ marks the first time an Indian mission has achieved something like this, ⁢and it demonstrates the​ power​ and precision of⁤ our technology.

**Interviewer:** For​ our viewers who may not be familiar, what exactly is a CME?

**Professor Ramesh:** Imagine a colossal ​fireball ⁢of plasma erupting from‌ the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona. ​ These CMEs can​ weigh trillions of kilograms and travel ​at⁣ speeds of up to ⁢3,000 kilometers per second.⁢ While‍ that sounds incredibly⁣ fast,⁢ it still takes about 15 hours for them to reach Earth from the⁢ Sun, ⁤which is about​ 150 million kilometers away.

**Interviewer:** Why is ​this discovery so important?⁢ What are the implications for our understanding of⁢ the ⁣Sun?

**Professor Ramesh:** CMEs are not just a fascinating natural phenomenon. They⁤ pose a real​ threat ⁢to⁣ Earth and our infrastructure‌ in space. ​ They can disrupt satellite communication, damage power grids, and even pose a ⁤risk​ to astronauts.‌ By understanding precisely when and how these eruptions occur, we can develop better early warning systems and take steps to protect ourselves.

**Interviewer:** This is truly groundbreaking‍ work. What’s next for Aditya-L1 and the Velc instrument?

**Professor⁤ Ramesh:** This is ‍just the ⁢beginning. Aditya-L1 will continue to observe the⁣ Sun, providing us with a ⁤wealth of data about these powerful⁤ solar events and helping us unlock many more secrets of our nearest star. [[1](https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/why-indias-solar-mission-aditya-l1-is-important-for-the-world-7133738)]