The highest-resolution images of the sun’s corona were successfully captured using a novel telescope, following its launch aboard a NASA sounding rocket on July 11.
The corona’s image clarity enables comprehending the behavior of the solar atmosphere and its effects on Earth's space environment.
The 58-foot-tall sounding rocket incorporating NASA's Hi-C (High Resolution Coronal Imager) telescope was launched from New Mexico-based White Sands Missile Range. The 10-foot-long payload weighs 464 lb and captures 165 images while under 620-second flight. The telescope was directed to the sun’s large active region, where some images represented the clear dynamic structure of the solar atmosphere. These images were captured in extreme ultraviolet wavelength. The light’s higher energy wavelength is ideal for observing the hot solar corona.
The telescope captured data with one image every 5 s. Capable of determining the features down to 135-mi, Hi-C observes the sun in one wavelength of light. Hi-C's mirrors measure 9 ½-in diagonally. Modest fine mirrors being used for space-based instrumentation have been incorporated within the telescope. Hi-C captures high-resolution images. Following initial development at Marshall, the final mirror configuration was successfully accomplished using a novel manufacturing technique developed in partnership with L-3Com/Tinsley Lab and with inputs from Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) associates.
Alignment of high-quality optics enables precise determination of the spacing between the tilt of the mirror and the optics. Optic spacing was maintained within a few 10/1000 of an inch during the alignment of the mirrors.
Studies of Earth's upper atmosphere and space sciences can be cost-effectively achieved using NASA's suborbital sounding rockets, which also act as major test bed fostering novel technologies for potential satellites or probes to other planets.
SDO is an advanced spacecraft that was launched in February 2010 for analyzing the sun and its dynamic behavior. The spacecraft offers images with 10x superior clarity than high definition TV and offers better and faster science data when compared to other solar observing spacecrafts.
Source: http://www.nasa.gov/