Historic! Closest-ever Sun photo captured; Solar Orbiter sees solar flares, 'hedgehog', more

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The Sun has always been that giant spherical source of light for us.

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Now, the the European Space Agency has shared a Sun photo taken from the closest-ever point

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The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter took a Sun photo on March 26, 2022, which is the closest so far.

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The process was not easy! The Solar Orbiter was inside the orbit of Mercury, at about one-third the distance from the Sun to the Earth.

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The heat was around 500°C shielding the spacecraft but innovative technology helped to dissipate the energy and keep the Orbiter safe and functioning.

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And the results paid off! The Solar Orbiter also photographed solar flares, solar poles and coronal mass ejection!

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