Europeans are planning to create artificial eclipses that could last up to six hours at a time.
On December 5, two satellites were launched into space with the purpose of generating fake solar eclipses. These satellites, launched by the European Space Agency from India, are part of the Proba-3 mission, which aims to study the sun’s corona.
The European Space Agency intends to use these satellites to produce artificial solar eclipses that can last up to six hours, a duration much longer than natural eclipses. The satellites will be maneuvered into position to create these eclipses at least twice a week, depending on solar activity.
The mission, costing $210 million, is expected to provide at least 1,000 hours of “on demand” totality over two years. Once the mission is completed, the satellites will be disposed of by gradually descending into the atmosphere.
Support for the mission comes from about a dozen countries, including Austria, Poland, and Spain. The satellites, equipped with GPS, star trackers, lasers, and radio links, will be in orbit more than 37,200 miles from Earth.
Each satellite is less than five feet across and will work together to mimic the moon blocking the sun during a natural solar eclipse. This setup will allow scientists to closely examine the sun’s corona and study phenomena such as coronal mass ejections.
Understanding these solar activities is crucial as they can impact power and communication systems on Earth. Additionally, they can create beautiful auroras in the sky.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
