India’s first sun mission

Aditya L1: India’s Pioneering Attempt to

Reveal the Sun’s Secrets

India’s first sun mission? ISRO is about to launch India’s first mission to study the Sun, which is the biggest object in our solar system. The Sun is so large that it could fit over 1.3 million Earths inside it.

Everything in our solar system orbits the Sun, and while nothing can live on it, the Sun is essential for life on Earth. It’s studied, feared, and even celebrated in songs like “Here Comes the Sun” by The Beatles.

The mission called Aditya L1

The mission, called Aditya L1, will be launched at 11:50 AM on September 2nd from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. The Sun is about 150 million kilometers away from Earth, but we won’t land on it because it doesn’t have a solid surface;

it’s just a giant ball of gases with a temperature of 15 million degrees Celsius. Instead, the spacecraft will be placed in a special orbit around a point called L1, which is about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. This location allows us to see the Sun without any eclipses.

The spacecraft will travel this distance in about four months, which is four times farther than the Chandrayaan missions but only 1% of the distance to the Sun. Aditya L1 will orbit the L1 point to study the Sun’s atmosphere, its effect on Earth’s climate, and solar winds that can disrupt our planet.

Sun 100 times wider than Earth?

The Sun is about 100 times wider than Earth, 4.5 billion years old, and is halfway through its life cycle. Without the Sun’s heat and light, life on Earth wouldn’t be possible. It affects weather, ocean currents, seasons, and plant life through photosynthesis. It takes around eight minutes and 19 seconds for light from the Sun to reach Earth.

The Sun is mostly made of hydrogen and rotates on its axis like Earth, taking between 25 and 35 days for one complete rotation. The Sun’s core is the hottest part, reaching 15 million degrees Celsius. It’s so hot that it’s impossible for humans to land on the Sun.

The closest anyone has come is NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, which entered the Sun’s outer layer, the corona, in 2021. This probe survived extreme temperatures and reached a part of the Sun that was previously unreachable.

Only NASA and the European Space Agency have sent spacecraft to the L1 point before. India has been studying the Sun using ground-based telescopes from locations like Kodaikanal, Nainital, and Udaipur.

Conclusion

ISRO’s upcoming Aditya L1 mission represents a significant step in our understanding of the Sun. By placing a spacecraft at the L1 point, about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, the mission aims to study the Sun’s atmosphere, its impact on Earth’s climate, and solar winds.

This groundbreaking mission will enhance our knowledge of the Sun’s behavior and its effects on our planet. While landing on the Sun itself is impossible due to its extreme temperatures and lack of a solid surface, the data gathered by Aditya L1 will contribute valuable insights to solar science and space research.

FAQs concerning the Aditya L1 mission include the following:

1. What is the Aditya L1 mission?

• India’s first mission to investigate the Sun is called Aditya L1. It aims to observe the Sun’s outermost layers, known as the corona, and understand its impact on Earth’s climate and space weather.

2. When will the Aditya L1 mission be launched?

• The mission is set to be launched at 11:50 AM on September 2nd from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

3. What is the Aditya L1 mission’s objective?

• The mission will study the Sun’s atmosphere, solar winds, and their effects on Earth’s climate. It will help scientists understand space weather and improve predictions of solar storms.

4. How far will the spacecraft travel?

• The spacecraft will travel about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth to reach the L1 point, which is the nearest stable location for observing the Sun without interruptions.

5. Why can’t we land on the Sun?

• The Sun is a giant ball of hot gases with no solid surface, making landing impossible. Its core temperature reaches about 15 million degrees Celsius, which is far too hot for any spacecraft or human to approach.

6. How long will the spacecraft take to reach its destination?

• It will take about four months for the spacecraft to travel the 1.5 million kilometers to the L1 point.

7. What are the key features of the L1 point?

• The L1 point allows continuous observation of the Sun without any eclipses. It provides a stable vantage point for studying solar activity.

8. Who is leading the Aditya L1 mission?

• Dr. Sankar Subramanian, a senior solar scientist, is the principal scientist for this mission. He has previously worked on missions like Chandrayaan 1 and 2 and Astrosat.

9. What makes the Sun important for Earth?

• The Sun provides the heat and light necessary for life on Earth. It drives weather patterns, ocean currents, seasons, climate, and photosynthesis in plants.

10. Has anyone else studied the Sun from the L1 point? – Yes, NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have previously sent spacecraft to the L1 point to study the Sun.