Trailblazing Satellite Mission Delivers Its First Artificial Solar Eclipse

Two ESA satellites, part of the Proba‑3 mission, have achieved the first-ever artificial solar eclipse in space by flying just 150 meters apart with millimeter-level precision. One satellite blocks the sun’s bright disk while the other captures detailed images of the elusive solar corona using its ASPIICS coronagraph. This formation-flying "eclipse machine" has already produced several hours of continuous eclipse during each 19.6-hour orbit—significantly surpassing the fleeting few minutes offered by natural eclipses. With roughly two of these artificial eclipses occurring weekly, Proba‑3 will deliver an unprecedented volume of high-fidelity data into the million-degree corona, helping scientists probe its extreme heat and the drivers of powerful solar storms. More

(Source: ScienceAlert - Jun 17)