The prospect of being plunged into darkness in the middle of the day might seem like the stuff of science fiction, but NASA is actually planning to create artificial solar eclipses in 2025 as part of a massive scientific mission. This ambitious undertaking is designed to shed light on some of the biggest mysteries surrounding the sun, particularly when it comes to the solar corona and atmosphere. At the heart of this inquiry is the question of how the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from the sun, accelerates as it travels through space. What drives these particles, and how do they transform from one form to another, eventually creating the solar wind chamber that envelops our planet, known as the heliosphere?
To tackle these enigmas, NASA is set to launch two complementary solar missions aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The spacecraft, named PUNCH and SPHEREx, have been designed with distinct yet complementary scientific objectives in mind. While PUNCH will focus on the dynamics of the solar corona and solar wind, SPHEREx will embark on a broader mission to study the universe through infrared observations, aiming to answer a rather intriguing question: what color is the universe? This quest for knowledge is not just about aesthetics; it’s about understanding the fundamental nature of our cosmos.
Unveiling the Sun’s Secrets
The mission to uncover the sun’s secrets is multifaceted, with PUNCH consisting of four small satellites engineered to create 3D images of the sun’s outer atmosphere. These satellites will utilize polarized light to track solar events such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), helping scientists determine their trajectories and potential impacts on Earth. On the other hand, SPHEREx will conduct an extensive infrared study of the entire sky every six months, generating wide cosmic maps in 102 wavelengths. This approach differs significantly from the James Webb Space Telescope, which captures detailed images of specific regions, whereas SPHEREx is designed for broader cosmic cartography.
The Quest for a Universal Map
NASA’s ultimate goal is to create a comprehensive map of the universe, and this dual launch is a significant step towards that ambition. The pairing of PUNCH and SPHEREx will not only help generate a panoramic view of the universe but also monitor space weather. This launch, facilitated by NASA’s Launch Services Program, is expected to enhance our understanding of cosmic evolution and space weather phenomena. PUNCH will enable more precise monitoring of solar activity, while SPHEREx will track water in its various forms across the universe, from young solar systems to the cosmic water cycle. By creating an artificial eclipse, these missions will allow for a more detailed study of solar winds, offering insights into space weather.
A Crucial Year for Solar Monitoring
This year is particularly significant for monitoring the sun, given its cyclical activity patterns. According to Phil Korngut, a scientist on the SPHEREx instrument at the California Institute of Technology, the data collected will contribute to research on cosmic inflation, galaxy formation, and the origins of water in planetary systems. Both missions are poised to play a critical role in expanding current knowledge about space phenomena, and their launch is anticipated to provide valuable insights into solar and cosmic environments.
Together, PUNCH and SPHEREx will offer the first complementary datasets showing how the sun generates the solar wind and space weather. This could have far-reaching implications, most fascinatingly in our ability to predict space weather events that bring both breathtaking auroras and threats to electrical grids. As NASA plans to artificially dim the days to study the sun up close, we stand at the threshold of a new era in space exploration, one that promises to illuminate not just the sun’s secrets but the very fabric of our universe.
