Posted the first in the history of the South Pole of the Sun
Posted the first in the history of the South Pole of the Sun
Screenshot with video esa
Despite the decades of research, the appearance of the South and North Poles of the Sun remained a mystery to scientists. But the Solar Orbiter spacecraft managed to make a breakthrough – it was for the first time in history, the South Pole Dawn.
About it reports European Space Agency (ESA), writes The New York Times.
Until recently, scientists had only a fuzzy idea of the poles of the sun. It was difficult for them to find out what was going on and how they were different from other stars.
Then Solar Orbiter came to the rescue – a spacer -sized car, equipped with ten devices. On February 10, 2020, Solar Orbiter was launched into orbit, which forced him to repeatedly fly past Venus.
These « meetings » gave the spacecraft « gravitational impetus », which allowed it to leave the orbital plane through which the planets rotate around the sun, and climb at a larger angle to see the poles.
Without the help of these « planetary catapults », it is extremely difficult to fly over the poles of the sun. In addition, it requires a huge amount of fuel.
Previously, only one spacecraft flew over the sunny poles – Ulysses, which worked from 1990 to 2009. But he did not have a camera – only scientific devices.
Instead, Solar Orbiter has several sun shooting cameras. In March 2025, after four spans past Venus, the spacecraft took about 51.5 million kilometers above the South Pole at an angle of about 17 degrees. This was enough to get the first in history pictures of this part of the sun.
The South Pole of the Sun.
ESA & NASA/SOLAR ORBITER/SPICE TEAM, M. Janvier (ESA) & J. PLOWMAN (SWRI)
The photo shows a spotty pattern of magnetic activity on the pole, caused by huge breaks on the surface of the sun, when the magnetic fields « pour » and « pour ».
Currently, the sun comes from a period of peak activity, which is called a sunny maximum and occurs in a 11-year cycle. Scientists believe that this can cause the magnetic field inside the dawn.
It may also mean that there is no real North or South Pole now – this leads to the effect of spotting.
« When the sun is in a minimum, there is a north and south poles – everyone with its magnetic polarity. Now the magnetic field is a kind of » disorder « , – Solar Orbiter Mission Head Anik de Grof.
The south pole of the sun in different light
ESA & NASA/SOLAR ORBITER/PHI, EUI AND SPICE Teams
The study of the poles should help scientists explore different levels of solar maxima. The ability to predict the intensity of every 11-year cycle is able to warn of the danger that cosmic weather is for satellites and ground infrastructure.
The images also emphasize the lower activity at the poles of the Sun compared to the equator, where the rotation of the dawn and the tumultuous internal environment cause mass eruptions.
Solar Orbiter will also help to find out why charged particles from the surface of the sun move much faster than the calmer poles than from the equator.
Recall, giant telescope made a detailed photo The surface of the sun on which you can see a sunshine in the size of Switzerland.
