Aditya-L1 Solar Observatory Unveils Maiden Views of the Sun Captured by SUIT Payload en Route to Cosmic Destination

The first images from India's primary solar observatory, taken by the SUIT (Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope) payload, showcase sunspots and solar features. Durgesh Tripathi, SUIT's lead investigator, described it in X (formerly Twitter) as an unprecedented chance to witness the first light observations of a space telescope.

Aditya-L1's Solar Mission

Aditya-L1, an Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) solar observatory, aims to comprehensively study the Sun using seven scientific payloads. Positioned at Lagrange point 1, about 1 million miles from Earth, it maintains stability for undisturbed Sun observations.

The spacecraft, named "Aditya" in Sanskrit meaning "the sun," will stay at this distance for its estimated 5.2-year mission, allowing uninterrupted sun views and investigating solar mysteries like the corona's elevated temperature compared to the photosphere.

Aditya-L1's mission includes studying the Sun's atmosphere and surface, focusing on the corona and photosphere. Proximity to Earth facilitates the exploration of Earth's magnetosphere and its reactions to solar winds and coronal mass ejections.

Launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on September 2, 2023, Aditya-L1 underwent a Trans-Lagrangian1 insertion maneuver for its journey to L1. The spacecraft will execute additional maneuvers to achieve the required velocity, bind itself to an orbit around L1, and establish an irregularly shaped orbit approximately perpendicular to the sun-Earth line.

The successful Aditya-L1 launch, following 15 years of planning, evolved from a small satellite concept to a comprehensive mission. Originally envisioned in 2008, it transformed into a significant endeavor and was renamed "Aditya-L1" in July 2019, symbolizing its growth and ambition.

Aditya-L1's First Images of the Sun

On November 20, scientists turned on the SUIT payload, as confirmed by the ISRO, overseeing the Aditya-L1 solar observatory in collaboration with institutions in Ahmedabad, Pune, and Kerala.

The Sun, a dynamic ball of plasma, contrasts Earth's solid surface. Its visible "surface" is a thin layer called the photosphere, comprising hydrogen and helium, housing sunspots-dark, magnetic field-rich areas causing solar flares. Occasionally, plasma jets from sunspots travel towards Earth, triggering events like the recent "cannibal" solar storm and breathtaking auroras.

Recent Aditya-L1 images showcase four sunspots, one near the equator, depicting a calmer region on the sun's left called the "quiet sun." Below the equator is the plage, a hot area typically observed in the chromosphere, the sun's atmospheric layer above the photosphere but below the corona.

Launched on September 2, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft is on a four-month journey to L1 orbit, 1 million miles from Earth. Positioned there, it observes the sun continuously with minimal fuel usage and few orbital maneuvers. Having surpassed Earth's gravitational influence in late September, it will reach its cosmic destination this month or early next. Its seven instruments will study solar wind particles and monitor solar flares.

The mission team activated other Aditya-L1 payloads, including the Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) instrument, studying solar wind composition through in-situ observations. Another payload monitoring solar wind healthily began operating on December 8, ISRO reported in a separate statement.

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