The Solar Orbiter probe, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), captured details of the behavior in the Sun’s lower atmosphere. The result – published on video by the space agency – is an unprecedented perspective on the solar corona, full of phenomena such as “moss ” and solar “rain”.
For those in a hurry:
- The Solar Orbiter probe, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), has captured detailed images of the Sun’s lower atmosphere, offering an unprecedented view of the solar corona. Observations took place during a phase of intense solar activity, providing valuable data about the star;
- The images, captured on September 27, 2023, reveal phenomena such as solar “moss” and “rain”. Coronal “moss” appears as lace-like plasma patterns at the base of coronal loops, while coronal rain involves cooling plasma that falls back to the Sun in dense clumps, creating dark patches visible against the bright background of coronal loops;
- The coronal loops, visible in the images, are highly luminous arc-shaped structures due to their extreme temperatures, around 1 million degrees Celsius. Spicules, in turn, are jets of plasma that rise from the chromosphere to the solar corona, reaching heights of up to 10 thousand kilometers;
- On the same day that Solar Orbiter recorded these images, NASA’s Solar Parker probe was even closer to the Sun. This proximity allowed complementary measurements of particles and the magnetic field in the solar corona and solar wind, expanding the understanding of solar processes .
The recent observations come at a time of intense solar activity, providing an almost intimate look at an ever-changing star.
Read more:
Images of the Sun
Solar Orbiter captured these incredible images on September 27, 2023. A few days after these recordings, the probe reached its closest point to the Sun, at a distance of just 43 million kilometers.
As explained on the ESA website, the video shows spicules – jets of plasma that rise from the chromosphere to the solar corona, reaching up to 10 thousand kilometers in height.
In addition, it is possible to observe coronal “moss”, which are plasma patterns that resemble lace at the base of coronal loops. These arc-shaped structures project upwards from the surface of the Sun.
Coronal loops, highly luminous due to their extreme temperatures of around 1 million degrees Celsius, facilitate the occurrence of coronal rain.
This phenomenon happens when part of the plasma cools and falls back to the Sun in dense and relatively colder clumps, with temperatures below 10,000 °C. These clusters are visible as dark spots against the bright background of the coronal loops.
Now, without further ado, the video of the images captured by the ESA probe:
Collaboration between ESA and NASA
On the same day that Solar Orbiter recorded the video above, NASA’s Solar Parker probe was even closer to the Sun – at a distance of 7.26 million kilometers.
The Parker probe’s function is to measure the particles and magnetic field present in the solar corona and in the solar wind.
This coordinated operation between Solar Orbiter and Parker allowed scientists to observe the source region of the solar wind before it passed through Parker. The synergy provided a more in-depth and integrated analysis of solar processes.
Together, these missions expand what is known about the Sun, its characteristics and the mechanisms behind its influence on the Solar System.
These insights are essential for advancing knowledge about the space environment and, perhaps, protecting technology and life on Earth from extreme solar events.
 detailed images of the Sun){kind=link}