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For Aditya-L1, the year 2026 is expected to be truly unique.

It's the first time the observatory – which was placed in orbit last year – will be able to watch the Sun when it reaches its maximum activity cycle.

As per research, this occurs approximately once every 11 years as the Sun's magnetic poles flip – the Earth equivalent could be the North and South poles swapping positions.

This period of great turbulence. It sees our star changing from calm to stormy and is marked by a significant rise in the number of solar storms and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – massive bubbles of fire that erupt of the Sun's outermost layer.

Made up of charged particles, a CME can weigh of billions of tons and reach a speed exceeding 2,000 miles each second. It can head out in any direction, including towards our planet. At maximum velocity, it would take a CME about half a day to cover the vast distance between Earth and the Sun.

"In the normal or quiet periods, our star emits two to three CMEs a day," explains an astrophysics expert. "Next year, it's anticipated there will be over ten each day."

Studying coronal mass ejections ranks among the key research goals of India's first solar observatory. One, because the ejections provide an opportunity to learn about the Sun in the center of our planetary system, and two, because activities that take place on the solar surface threaten infrastructure on our planet and in space.

Effects on Our Planet and Space Infrastructure

CMEs seldom present a direct threat to people, but they do affect life on Earth through generating geomagnetic storms that impact the weather in near space, where nearly 11,000 satellites, including Indian satellites, orbit.

"The most beautiful displays of a CME include northern lights, which are a clear example that solar particles from our star are travelling toward our planet," the expert explains.

"But they can also cause electronic systems aboard spacecraft malfunction, knock down electrical networks and affect weather and communication satellites."

Past Solar Incidents

• The most powerful solar storm ever recorded was the Carrington Event which knocked out telegraph lines across the globe
• During 1989, a part of Canadian electrical network failed, affecting millions without power for hours
• In November 2015, solar storms disrupted flight operations, causing chaos in Sweden and various European airports
• In February 2022, a CME caused dozens of spacecraft being lost

If we are able to observe events on the Sun's corona and detect a solar storm or a coronal mass ejection as it happens, measure its heat at the source and track its path, this serves as a forewarning to switch off electrical systems and satellites redirecting them to safety.

Aditya-L1's Special Capability

While other space observatories observing the Sun, Aditya-L1 has an advantage compared to rivals when it comes to studying the solar atmosphere.

"Aditya-L1's coronagraph is the exact size enabling it to effectively simulate lunar coverage, fully covering the Sun's photosphere permitting continuous observation of nearly the entire of the corona 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including during solar events," says the researcher.

Essentially, this instrument acts like an artificial Moon, blocking the Sun's bright surface allowing scientists constantly study the dim solar atmosphere – something natural eclipses does only during eclipses.

Additionally, it's unique capable of examining solar events using optical wavelengths, letting it determine a CME's temperature and heat energy – crucial data that show how strong a CME would be when traveling our direction.

Readiness for Maximum Activity

To prepare for the upcoming solar maximum, scientists worked together to study the data obtained from one of the largest CMEs recorded by the mission has recorded until now.

It originated on 13 September 2024 during early hours. Its mass totaled billions of tons – the iceberg that sank Titanic weighed much less.

At origin, the heat was 1.8 million degrees Celsius with energy equivalent was equivalent to millions of tons of TNT – in comparison the atomic bombs used in Japan were 15 kilotons and 21 kilotons each.

Even though these figures make it sound massive, the expert describes it as a moderate event.

The space rock that eliminated the dinosaurs on Earth was 100 million megatons and when solar peak occurs, there may be CMEs with energy content equal to greater levels.

"In my view this eruption we analyzed to have occurred during periods of typical solar activity. This establishes the standard that we'll be using assessing what to expect during solar maximum occurs," he says.

"The learnings gained will help us work out the countermeasures to be adopted to protect spacecraft in orbit. They will also help achieving a better understanding of our space environment," he concludes.