HONG KONG: A telescope aboard a prolific Sun-watching NASA spacecraft has captured its mind-boggling 100 millionth image of the Sun.
Four telescopes have been used to capture eight images of sun, and finally each of these images was then processed to one photo to create the entire output picture.
The ‘Solar Dynamics Observatory’ was launched on February 11, 2011, and from then the spacecraft has provided some impeccable images which played a crucial role in determining the effectiveness of studies related to solar atmosphere.
The SDO provides almost 57,600 images every day, and it clearly shows how solar materials sway and sometimes erupts in the solar atmosphere.
The details provided by SDO have helped scientists to know better about the increased temperatures in the roiling corona than in the sun’s surface. Using the images, scientists have also learned more about the solar fares and constantly moving magnetic fields in Sun.
Scientists who are associated with the ‘Solar Dynamics Observatory’ are trying hard to learn the way in which Sun’s magnetic field is generated and structured.
They are also trying to figure out the way in which the stored magnetic energy in the sun is converted and released into heliosphere. Heliosphere is ultimately the region of space dominated by Sun in the form of strong solar wind and energetic particles.
The photo album of SDO is already star studded, and the 100 millionth image acts as an incredible milestone image as around some years back, Sun was considered as an unassailable target.