When satellites block the sun
How do you create a solar eclipse on demand? That's the question European scientists have just answered with Proba-3, a €181 million mission by the European Space Agency that has successfully engineered artificial eclipses in space.
They achieved this with two satellites flying in ultra-precise formation, separated by 150 metres. One acted as a sunshield while the other captured detailed observations of the sun's elusive 'corona', its outer atmosphere.
Proba-3 is offering scientists something that wasn't possible until now: hours-long, precision-controlled viewing. These abilities are crucial to understand phenomena such as solar storms and space weather, which can disrupt satellites, power grids, and communications on earth.
Unlike natural eclipses, which occur briefly and rarely, this high-tech dance will produce nearly 200 eclipses over two years, giving scientists more than 1000 hours of uninterrupted viewing time. In other words, a breakthrough in solar science!