The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 mission has successfully created the first artificial solar eclipse in space, revealing detailed images of the sun’s corona. The twin satellites, Occulter and Coronagraph, flew at 150 meters apart and aligned to block sunlight for 1-millimeter-tight tolerances.
The satellites’ camera captured multiple seconds-long exposures during their autonomous flight in March, producing full photos of the coronal atmosphere that can reach millions of degrees hotter than its surface. ESA scientists stitched these images together, showcasing the sun’s outermost part with unprecedented clarity.
“This was a difficult-to-believe moment for us,” says Damien Galano at ESA, “but it was also an incredible feeling of achievement and pride.” The Proba-3 mission marks a significant milestone in space exploration, demonstrating precise control over celestial events.
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2484343-stunning-pictures-show-the-first-ever-artificial-solar-eclipse