Isro's Aditya-L1 captures solar eruption that could circle Earth in 30 seconds
India's Aditya-L1 mission has made a remarkable observation of the Sun, capturing a massive solar flare and a dramatic ejection of plasma using the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT).This event, recorded in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) light, marks the first time such a solar eruption has been seen in this part of the spectrum, opening new possibilities for understanding the Sun's explosive behaviour.advertisementThe event was captured on December 31, 2023.
The SUIT instrument recorded the flare as it erupted from the Sun's surface, launching a glowing plasma blob.
Understanding these flares is crucial for protecting our technology and infrastructure. (Photo: Isro)
Initially, this blob moved at about 300 kilometers per second but rapidly accelerated to 1,500 kilometers per second-a speed fast enough to circle the Earth in just 30 seconds.This rare footage shows the eruption and the plasma's journey across SUIT's field of view, with the Sun's brightness reduced in the video to highlight these dramatic off-limb structures.Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy caused by the sudden release of magnetic energy in the Sun's atmosphere. These events can send huge amounts of radiation and energetic particles into space, sometimes disrupting radio communications, damaging satellites, and even affecting power grids on Earth. advertisementUnderstanding these flares is crucial for protecting our technology and infrastructure.Traditionally, solar flares have been studied mostly in X-rays and extreme-ultraviolet light. However, SUIT's observations in the near-ultraviolet are unique, providing scientists with new data about the lower layers of the Sun's atmosphere-the photosphere and chromosphere-using 11 specially designed filters.This helps researchers track how energy moves through the Sun's atmosphere and how flares impact space weather.The Aditya-L1 spacecraft was launched in September 2023 and reached its observation point, the Lagrange Point L1, in January 2024. From this stable position, about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, it can continuously monitor the Sun without interruption.The December 31 observation was made during the spacecraft's journey to L1, catching an X-class flare and a fast-moving coronal mass ejection (CME) from active region NOAA 13536.By combining SUIT's ultraviolet images with data from other international observatories, scientists can better understand the origins of solar flares and their effects on Earth, marking a major step forward in solar research. Must Watch
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