Total Solar Eclipse: ISRO's Aditya-L1 will track Sun and observe its behaviour during complete darkness
Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Muskan Arora
Aditya L1 to Monitor Sun
India's solar probe Aditya L1 is set to observe the behaviour and rays of the Sun during the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.
Alignment of Sun, Moon, and Earth
The total solar eclipse will occur when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align in a straight line, causing a moment of complete darkness during the daytime as the Moon completely blocks the Sun.
Four Minutes of Darkness
The Sun will remain cloaked for approximately four minutes during the eclipse, allowing for the illumination of its enigmatic outer layer.
ISRO's Maiden Solar Mission
Aditya L1, the Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) first solar mission, will track the Sun during the eclipse to study its chromosphere and corona.
Position at Lagrange Point 1
Aditya-L1 reached the Lagrange Point 1 earlier this year on January 6, positioning itself 1.5 million kilometres from Earth to observe the Sun.
Instruments Used
The mission will utilize two of its six instruments, the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) and the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), to track the Sun during the eclipse.
Visibility of Sun's Corona
During the eclipse, the Sun's corona, or outer layer, will be briefly visible from Earth as the Moon blocks the star, providing a rare opportunity for observation.
Mission Objectives
Aditya L1 aims to enhance our understanding of solar phenomena, including the solar corona, photosphere, and the impact of solar winds and radiation.