NASA’s Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission has captured a stunning photo of an eclipsed sun with an extra moon overhead. The image, taken on April 27, shows the moon hovering over a shadowy void wreathed in sunlight. PUNCH is a collection of four small satellites orbiting Earth, aimed at studying the solar wind and its effects on space weather.
The mission’s goal is to take pictures of the sun and the space between it and Earth, while also preventing the overwhelming light from the sun using an “occulter” – similar to how the moon blocks out sunlight during a solar eclipse. The golden glow surrounding the sun in the image is light reflecting off the occulter, while the dark areas are outside the instrument’s field of view.
PUNCH will start science operations on June 9 and collect new images of the sun continuously. The data collected will be available to anyone who wishes to access it as part of PUNCH’s commitment to open, inclusive science. By studying the solar wind, scientists can better understand its effects on geomagnetic storms, which can cause power grid failures and radio blackouts.
The PUNCH mission is part of a unified effort with NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) to study the solar corona and its connection to space weather. The two missions complement each other beautifully, providing a deeper understanding of the processes that drive the solar wind.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/the-sun/nasa-spacecraft-snaps-eerie-image-of-eclipsed-sun-with-an-extra-moon-overhead-whats-going-on