Priya Aditi
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) announced on Tuesday that Aditya-L1, India’s first solar observatory, had captures the first high-energy X-ray glimpse of solar flares two months after its launch.
HEL1OS obtains its initial high-energy X-ray sight of solar flares on October 29, 2023, during its first observation period from approximately 12:00 to 22:00 UT. The High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) on Aditya-L1 has recorded that solar flares move quickly. Isro stated in a statement that the recorded data is consistent with the X-ray light profiles supplied by NOAA’s GOES.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States improves knowledge of the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and inland waters, as well as describes and forecasts changes that may occur to them, through an integrated program of research, technology development, and services.
The GOES-R Series, which comprises Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), is widely regarded as the pinnacle of technological advancements in this field. These satellites provide enhanced monitoring capabilities for solar and space weather, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of the Western Hemisphere.
“HEL1OS, which was commissioned on October 27, is presently undergoing calibration and threshold fine-tuning operations,” according to an ISRAO statement. The instrument is designed to perform high-resolution spectra and precise scheduling in order to observe the Sun’s high-energy X-ray activity. Using HEL1OS data, researchers can look at how explosive energy is released and how electrons speed up during the impulsive phases of solar flares.
The Indian space agency launched the Aditya-L1 spacecraft from the Sriharikota spaceport on September 2; this was the nation’s inaugural mission to investigate the Sun. A succession of Earth-bound maneuvers were executed subsequent to the launch in order to guarantee that the craft accumulated sufficient momentum to commence its 125-day journey.
By guaranteeing uninterrupted observations of the Sun, the mission will enable Indian scientists to gain fresh insights into the core of our solar system. The designated trajectory for the spacecraft is a halo orbit revolving around L1, a celestial body situated approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth. Undoubtedly, this location is a mere 1% of the distance between the Earth and the Sun.
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Following a sequence of maneuvers, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft will ultimately be positioned at Lagrange Point-1, or L1. From there, it will commence a minimum five-year investigation aimed at comprehending diverse facets of the Sun—the star in closest proximity to Earth.
