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For India's first solar observatory, the year 2026 is expected to be truly unique.

This marks the initial occasion the observatory – which was placed into space last year – will be able to watch our star during the peak of its solar cycle.

As per scientific data, it comes approximately every 11 years when the Sun's magnetic poles flip – a similar Earth scenario could be the North and South poles changing places.

It's a time marked by intense activity. It sees the Sun changing from calm to stormy and is marked by a significant rise in the number of solar eruptions and massive solar flares – massive bubbles of fire that erupt of the Sun's outermost layer.

Composed of charged particles, a coronal mass ejection may have a mass up to a trillion kilograms and reach a speed of up to 3,000km each second. It can travel toward various directions, including towards our planet. At top speed, it would take a CME about half a day to cover the 150 million km between Earth and the Sun.

"During typical or quiet periods, the Sun emits a few solar eruptions daily," says a leading scientist. "Next year, we expect them to be over ten each day."

Studying coronal mass ejections is one of the most important scientific objectives of India's first solar observatory. Firstly, as these eruptions offer a chance to study the Sun in the center of our planetary system, and two, because activities occurring on the solar surface endanger infrastructure on our planet and in orbit.

Effects on Earth and Orbital Systems

CMEs seldom present a direct threat to human life, yet they impact our planet by causing geomagnetic storms that impact the weather in Earth's vicinity, where about 11,000 satellites, comprising many from India, are stationed.

"The most spectacular displays from solar eruptions are auroras, being a clear example that charged particles from our star are travelling to Earth," the expert explains.

"But they can also cause electronic systems on a satellite fail, disable electrical networks and affect meteorological and telecom spacecraft."

Historical Solar Events

• The strongest solar storm in history occurred during the Carrington Event that disabled telegraph lines worldwide
• In 1989, sections of Quebec's power grid failed, affecting millions without power for hours
• In November 2015, solar storms disrupted air traffic control, causing chaos in Sweden and various European air hubs
• Recently in 2022, an ejection had led to 38 commercial satellites failing

If we are able to observe what happens on the Sun's corona and detect a solar storm or a coronal mass ejection as it happens, record its temperature at origin and track its trajectory, this serves as a forewarning to switch off electrical systems and satellites and move them to safety.

Aditya-L1's Special Capability

There are other space observatories watching our star, Aditya-L1 has an advantage over others when it comes to studying the solar atmosphere.

"Aditya-L1's coronagraph is the exact size that lets it nearly mimic the Moon, fully covering the Sun's photosphere permitting continuous observation of nearly the entire solar atmosphere 24 hours a day, throughout the year, including during solar events," notes the expert.

In other words, this instrument acts like a synthetic eclipse, blocking the solar glare allowing researchers continuously observe its faint outer corona – a feat the real Moon provide only during eclipses.

Moreover, it's unique that can study eruptions using optical wavelengths, letting it determine eruption heat and thermal output – crucial data indicating the intensity of an eruption if it headed our direction.

Readiness for Peak Period

In preparation for next year's peak solar activity period, researchers collaborated to study information gathered from a major solar eruption recorded by the mission has recorded until now.

This event began in September 2024 during early hours. The eruption's weight totaled billions of tons – for comparison that sank Titanic was 1.5 million tonnes.

At origin, the heat was 1.8 million degrees Celsius and the energy content was equivalent to millions of tons of explosives – in comparison the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were much smaller and 21 kilotons respectively.

Although these figures seem incredibly large, the scientist classifies it as a "medium-sized" one.

The asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs on Earth was 100 million megatons and during solar peak occurs, there may be eruptions with energy content equal to greater levels.

"In my view the CME we analyzed happened during periods was in the normal activity phase. Now this sets the standard that we'll be using assessing what to expect when the maximum activity cycle arrives," he states.

"The learnings from this will help us developing the countermeasures to implement to protect spacecraft in near space. Additionally, they'll aid achieving a better understanding of near-Earth space," he concludes.