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Regarding Aditya-L1, 2026 will be like no other.

This marks the initial occasion the observatory – which was placed in orbit recently – can observe the Sun when it reaches its maximum activity cycle.

As per scientific data, it comes roughly once every 11 years when the Sun's magnetic poles flip – a similar Earth scenario could be the planet's poles swapping positions.

It's a time marked by intense activity. It sees our star transition from calm to stormy and is marked by a significant rise in the frequency of solar storms and massive solar flares – massive bubbles of plasma that blow out of the Sun's outermost layer.

Composed of ionized particles, a coronal mass ejection may have a mass of billions of tons and can attain a speed exceeding 2,000 miles per second. It can head out toward various directions, even toward our planet. At top speed, it would take an ejection about half a day to traverse the 150 million km Earth-Sun distance.

"During typical or quiet periods, our star launches a few solar eruptions a day," explains a leading scientist. "In 2026, we expect them to be 10 or more each day."

Studying coronal mass ejections is one of the most important research goals for the Indian maiden solar mission. One, as these eruptions offer a chance to learn about the star at the centre of our planetary system, and secondly, since events that take place on the Sun threaten infrastructure on our planet and in orbit.

Effects on Earth and Space Infrastructure

CMEs rarely pose a direct threat to human life, yet they impact life on Earth through generating geomagnetic storms affecting conditions in Earth's vicinity, where about thousands of spacecraft, comprising Indian satellites, orbit.

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

"However, they may cause electronic systems aboard spacecraft fail, knock down electrical networks and disrupt weather and communication satellites."

Historical Solar Incidents

• The most powerful solar event ever recorded occurred during the Carrington Event that disabled communication systems worldwide
• In 1989, sections of Canadian electrical network failed, leaving six million people in darkness for hours
• During late 2015, solar storms disrupted flight operations, causing disruption across Scandinavia and various European air hubs
• Recently in 2022, a CME had led to 38 commercial satellites failing

With capability to observe events in the solar atmosphere and spot a solar storm or a coronal mass ejection in real time, measure its heat at the source and watch its path, it can work as a forewarning to switch off power grids and spacecraft and move them out of harm's way.

The Mission's Special Capability

There are other solar missions observing the Sun, India's spacecraft has an advantage compared to rivals when it comes to watching the corona.

"The instrument is the exact size that lets it nearly mimic the Moon, fully covering the Sun's photosphere and allowing it an uninterrupted view of almost all of the corona around the clock, throughout the year, including during eclipses and occultations," says the expert.

Essentially, this instrument acts like an artificial Moon, blocking the solar glare to let researchers continuously observe the dim solar atmosphere – a feat natural eclipses provide only during eclipses.

Additionally, it's unique that can study eruptions using optical wavelengths, enabling it to measure a CME's temperature and thermal output – crucial data that show how strong of an eruption if it headed toward Earth.

Preparation for Peak Period

To prepare for next year's solar maximum, researchers worked together to study information gathered from a major solar eruption that Aditya-L1 has observed recently.

It originated on 13 September 2024 at 00:30 GMT. The eruption's weight was 270 million tonnes – for comparison that struck the ship weighed much less.

At origin, its temperature reached extreme levels and the energy content comparable to millions of tons of TNT – in comparison nuclear weapons used in Japan were much smaller in scale each.

Although these figures make it sound massive, the expert classifies it as a "medium-sized" one.

The space rock that eliminated the dinosaurs on our planet was 100 million megatons and when solar peak occurs, there may be CMEs with energy content matching even more than that.

"I consider the CME we analyzed happened during periods was in the normal activity phase. Now this sets the benchmark for future comparison assessing what to expect during solar maximum arrives," he states.

"The insights from this will assist in work out the countermeasures to implement safeguarding spacecraft in orbit. Additionally, they'll aid achieving a better understanding of near-Earth space," he concludes.