Navy telescope captures first images of the Sun's corona and a comet

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has made significant strides in space weather monitoring by capturing images of solar eruptions and comets.

The Compact Coronagraph (CCOR) telescope recently obtained its first images of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from NOAA’s GOES-19 satellite.

This compact telescope helps track the Sun’s corona and alerts scientists about approaching solar storms.

Additionally, NRL’s LASCO instrument on the SOHO spacecraft recently observed comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, providing insight into comet dust behavior near the Sun.

These achievements highlight the importance of studying solar and cometary events that affect Earth’s space weather.

Solar observation

The CCOR, a small yet powerful telescope, was developed by the NRL to focus specifically on monitoring the Sun’s corona.

This vital layer of the Sun’s atmosphere is the source of CMEs — giant solar eruptions that can release billions of tons of plasma into space, with the potential to interfere with Earth’s technology.

CCOR’s mission is simple but essential: capture real-time data on these eruptions to improve early warnings of space weather threats.

CCOR’s first sunlight

CCOR launched on June 25, 2024, on NOAA’s GOES-19 spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

On September 19, scientists opened CCOR’s aperture door, allowing the telescope to experience full sunlight for the first time.

Inside the telescope, a specialized device called an occulter blocks the Sun’s direct light, creating an artificial eclipse and allowing CCOR to focus solely on the solar corona.

By blocking the bright solar disk, CCOR enhances visibility of the corona and, more importantly, the violent CMEs that emerge from it.

Capturing solar activity

On October 3, CCOR recorded a perfect example of a CME phenomenon known as a “halo.”

In coronagraph images, halos appear as circular shapes that surround the Sun, indicating that a CME is directed towards Earth.

This initial observation validated CCOR’s effectiveness and offered a unique look at the Sun’s turbulent activity.

The observed halo resulted in northern lights, or auroras, visible across northern U.S. states, from Washington to Maine, as Earth’s magnetosphere interacted with the CME’s solar wind.

Tracking Earth-directed CMEs

Following this, CCOR detected multiple CMEs over a few weeks, including another halo on October 10 from an active solar region.

“Halo CMEs are of particular interest for space weather as they are generally directed towards Earth,” said Arnaud Thernisien, a research physicist at NRL. These directed CMEs can cause disturbances in Earth’s magnetic field, potentially impacting satellites, radio signals, and even power grids.

CCOR’s role in providing real-time solar data makes it invaluable for NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) and the Department of Defense (DOD), especially in monitoring solar and comet activity.

Early CME detection gives these agencies the ability to issue alerts about possible impacts on Earth’s technology.

With continuous observations, CCOR will help safeguard critical infrastructure and minimize disruptions caused by solar storms.

CCOR’s future and NRL’s Coronagraph Program

Currently, CCOR continues to monitor solar activity and collect data. Its performance will be assessed in space until January 2025, after which it will be fully transferred to NOAA’s operations.

This project reflects a close collaboration between the NRL team and NOAA-NASA’s GOES project, aimed at extending our capabilities in solar monitoring.

Building on CCOR’s success, NRL is developing a second Compact Coronagraph (CCOR-2), scheduled for launch in mid-2025.

The team is also creating a similar coronagraph for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Vigil mission, expected to launch in 2031.

These developments indicate a growing commitment to maintaining a network of coronagraphs dedicated to early detection and monitoring of solar eruptions.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

While CCOR has been studying the Sun’s corona, NRL’s LASCO on the SOHO spacecraft recently captured a series of images of comet C/2023 A3, or Tsuchinshan-ATLAS.

The comet passed close to the Sun and briefly appeared in LASCO’s view from October 7-11.

Located at the Lagrange Point (L1), LASCO’s position enabled it to observe the comet’s dust trail as it passed almost directly between the Sun and the spacecraft.

The bright sunlight illuminated the dust, causing a dramatic boost in brightness that allowed LASCO to capture detailed images of the comet’s dust surrounding its nucleus.

Observing comet and solar activity

In a rare twist, the comet’s dust trail coalesced into a dense, narrow band across LASCO’s view on October 14, creating a unique spectacle.

“LASCO has seen many beautiful comet transits during its decades of operations, but seeing a side-on view of a comet’s dust plane absolutely ranks as one of the most spectacular that we have seen,” said Dr. Karl Battams, Principal Investigator of LASCO at NRL.

LASCO has observed thousands of comets since it began operations in 1995, but the passing of Tsuchinshan-ATLAS offered scientists a rare chance to observe the comet’s dust plane edge-on.

The comet’s passage, while not surpassing the brightness of Comet McNaught (the brightest comet observed by LASCO in 2007), still became the second brightest comet observed, with a visual magnitude above -4.0.

Comet, solar explosions and space weather

LASCO’s imaging capabilities extend beyond beautiful comet images; the instrument also supports NASA’s Sungrazer Project, a citizen science program that has enabled the discovery of thousands of comets using LASCO data.

This project has led to numerous studies on comet dynamics, composition, and interactions with the Sun, giving scientists new insights into space weather.

As Tsuchinshan-ATLAS passed near the Sun, it encountered multiple CMEs that interacted with its dust and gas tails.

Observing how cometary tails respond to these solar eruptions provides scientists with valuable information about the Sun’s outer atmosphere, including the solar winds and magnetic fields that shape space weather.

Combined effort: STEREO-A and CCOR-1

NRL’s HI-1 heliospheric imager on the STEREO-A spacecraft also tracked Tsuchinshan-ATLAS as it passed through its field of view from October 4-9.

Additionally, the newly activated CCOR-1 instrument on NOAA’s GOES-19 captured images, demonstrating the advantage of multi-instrument observations.

Combining data from these instruments allows scientists to gain a comprehensive perspective of both solar activity and the near-Sun environment, further strengthening space weather research.

The comet is currently visible in the northern hemisphere’s evening skies and will continue traveling before disappearing. It will eventually return to the Oort Cloud, the distant area where comets are stored in our solar system.

According to current projections, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will likely be ejected from our solar system due to gravitational interactions, embarking on a journey that will take it far beyond our Sun’s influence.

Future of solar and comet observations

With instruments like CCOR and LASCO, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory is at the forefront of solar science and space weather forecasting.

As more operational coronagraphs are launched, including the upcoming CCOR-2 and ESA’s Vigil mission, our ability to monitor and respond to solar storms will significantly improve.

These instruments contribute not only to scientific discovery but also to technological preparedness, helping minimize the risks posed by solar eruptions.

Understanding CMEs and their effects on Earth is crucial as we depend more on space technology. Disruptions to GPS satellites and communication systems highlight the importance of early warning systems and solar observation missions.

NRL’s continued dedication to solar and comet studies, along with its contributions to the Sungrazer Project, helps paint a clearer picture of the interactions between our solar system’s celestial bodies and the Sun.

Each CME, comet, and solar flare observed adds a piece to the puzzle of understanding space weather and prepares humanity to meet the challenges it brings.

CME, comet, and solar flare

NRL’s CCOR and LASCO have made significant strides in advancing our understanding of the Sun and the phenomena surrounding it.

With CCOR’s real-time CME monitoring and LASCO’s unique observations of comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, these instruments provide a crucial view into the dynamics of our Sun and its impact on space weather.

As new instruments launch and space weather research evolves, our understanding of these powerful cosmic events will deepen, offering valuable insights that protect and enrich our technological world.

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