ISRO’s Aditya L1 Marks Milestone with Full-Disk Sun Imagery in Ultraviolet
Pune, 9th December 2023: The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) instrument aboard the Aditya L1 spacecraft has achieved a significant milestone by successfully capturing the first full-disk images of the Sun in the 200–400 nm wavelength range. These images provide unprecedented insights into the Sun’s photosphere and chromosphere.
According to information from ISRO’s official website, the SUIT payload was activated on November 20, 2023. On December 6, 2023, the telescope conducted its inaugural light science imaging session following a successful pre-commissioning phase. Utilizing eleven different filters, the images offer a comprehensive representation of the Sun’s full disk in wavelengths between 200 and 400 nm, excluding Ca II h.
The Mg II h image, in particular, reveals significant features such as sunspots, plages, and quiet Sun regions. These details provide scientists with valuable data to enhance their understanding of the dynamic coupling of the magnetized solar atmosphere and its impact on Earth’s climate.
The development of SUIT was a collaborative effort led by the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune. The project involved contributions from ISRO, the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), the Indian Institute of Astrophysics Bengaluru, the Udaipur Solar Observatory (USO-PRL), the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, the Centre for Excellence in Space Science Indian (CESSI) at IISER-Kolkata, and Tezpur University Assam. This cooperative endeavor signifies a significant step forward in solar observation capabilities.
