ISRO Unveils Video of Aditya-L1 SUIT's Shutter Operation for Sun Imaging

 

Despite costing 10,000 times more than standard professional cameras, space telescopes share fundamental principles with their Earthly counterparts when it comes to capturing distant celestial wonders. Case in point: the ongoing Aditya-L1 mission, dedicated to exploring the outer atmosphere of our Sun. Recently, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) unveiled the initial images of the Sun in the 200-400 nanometre ultraviolet wavelength range, taken by the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), one of seven instruments aboard the spacecraft.

Accompanying the stunning image gallery, ISRO released a video showcasing the opening and closing of SUIT's shutter as it captured these remarkable solar images. The process parallels the mechanics found in conventional cameras used in households.

In photography, a shutter comprises panels that open and close, regulating the amount of light entering the device. The duration the shutter remains open determines the 'shutter speed,' influencing the amount of light captured by the camera. In low-light conditions, the shutter may stay open longer to ensure sufficient data is collected from the subject.

The video illustrates a segment of the Aditya-L1 spacecraft, adorned with gold-like thermal insulation, floating in space. Eventually, SUIT's shutter, functioning as a hatch, opens to capture sunlight across various non-visible wavelengths. After a brief interval, the shutter closes, ceasing the intake of sunlight and concluding the recording process.

According to ISRO, the telescope successfully obtained its first light science images on December 6, utilizing 11 filters to generate diverse renditions of the Sun. These images provide valuable insights into the star's photosphere and chromosphere—the inner and middle layers of its atmosphere. Notable solar features, including dark sunspots, bright plages, quiet Sun regions, and cloudy plasma filaments, are also depicted in these images.

ISRO highlighted that SUIT's observations will aid scientists in studying the dynamic interaction of the magnetized solar atmosphere and contribute to establishing precise constraints on the impact of solar radiation on Earth's climate.