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LASCO Captures Piece Of Itself
Paris, France (SPX) Feb 11, 2005 Since the launch of SOHO in December 1995, images similar to this one have been observed about a dozen times. As in each previous case, it appears that some of SOHO's multi-layer thermal insulation (MLI), which has become brittle after over nine years' exposure to solar radiation, has flaked off and is passing in front of the wide-angle view of the coronagraph. The streaking in this 19 second exposure is similar to what you would capture if you were to hold a camera lens open for several seconds and take a picture of snow falling. Just as the snowflakes that passed closest to the lens would appear as fat, out of focus streaks, this MLI flake also appears as a thick, bright streak. What caused the MLI to flake off? Probably, a micrometeorite struck the brittle insulation, not an uncommon event for spacecraft. This type of image has sometimes been observed when a cover of one of the instruments has closed with some force and knocked off some of the spacecraft's insulation, but no covers were closing on this occasion. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SOHO mission at ESA SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express Solar Science News at SpaceDaily
AFWA Monitors Record Solar Flare
Offutt AFB (AFPN) Sep 12, 2005A large group of sunspots is being tracked by Air Force Weather Agency space weather technicians here. Over the next few days, weather technicians are forecasting moderate to extreme solar flares resulting in possible geomagnetic storms. |
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