European Space Agency launches Proba-3 to create artificial solar eclipse for sun study

The European Space Agency (ESA) has launched Proba-3, a mission to create an artificial solar eclipse. This will allow scientists to study the sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, which is poorly understood and significantly hotter than the sun's surface. Proba-3 consists of two satellites that will fly 150 meters apart in space, using precise formation flying technology. They will block the sun's light for up to six hours, enabling detailed observations of the corona without interference from Earth's atmosphere. This mission aims to improve understanding of the corona and its effects on space weather. Unlike natural solar eclipses, which are rare, Proba-3 will provide regular opportunities for research during its 19-hour orbit.