ESA’s Solar Orbiter mission has provided an astonishing new perspective of the Sun, revealing mesmerizing details of its surface features in unprecedented clarity. A captivating video captured by the Solar Orbiter showcases the Sun adorned with feathery, hair-like structures made of plasma, tracing magnetic field lines in its lower atmosphere.
Recorded on September 27, 2023, from a distance roughly one-third between Earth and the Sun, the video offers a unique glimpse into the Sun’s dynamic environment. The Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) instrument onboard Solar Orbiter captured the footage, highlighting the Sun’s transition from its lower atmosphere to the scorching outer corona.
ESA explained that the brightest regions in the video reach temperatures of around one million degrees Celsius, while cooler material appears darker as it absorbs radiation. Among the intriguing features showcased in the video are coronal moss, spicules, and coronal rain, each offering insights into the Sun’s complex behavior.
Coronal moss, resembling fine, lacy structures akin to Earth’s moss, is typically found around the center of sunspot groups. These structures signify strong magnetic conditions and the formation of large coronal loops. Despite their high temperature, coronal moss spans two atmospheric layers: the chromosphere and corona.
Spicules, towering spires of gas extending from the Sun’s chromosphere, are another prominent feature visible in the video. These structures, reaching heights of up to 10,000 kilometers (6,000 miles), provide valuable clues about the Sun’s dynamic processes.
Around the 30-second mark, the video reveals coronal rain, composed of cooler, higher-density clumps of plasma descending back towards the Sun under the influence of gravity. This phenomenon offers insights into the temperature variations across the solar surface, with coronal rain material cooler than the surrounding coronal loops.
Moreover, a notable eruption captured in the video at approximately 20 seconds showcases cooler material being lifted upwards before descending—a phenomenon larger than Earth itself. Such eruptions underscore the Sun’s immense scale and dynamic nature.
The Solar Orbiter, alongside missions like the Parker Solar Probe and the Solar Dynamics Observatory, continues to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun. These missions provide unprecedented views of our star, offering invaluable insights into its behavior and its crucial role in powering the entire Solar System.
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