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

This marks the initial occasion the observatory – that entered in orbit recently – will be able to observe the Sun when it reaches the peak of its solar cycle.

As per scientific data, it comes approximately every 11 years as the Sun's magnetic poles flip – a similar Earth scenario would be the North and South poles swapping positions.

It's a time of great turbulence. It involves the Sun changing from peaceful to violent and is marked by a huge increase in the number of solar eruptions and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – massive bubbles of fire that blow out of the Sun's outermost layer.

Made up of charged particles, a CME can weigh up to a trillion kilograms and can attain 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 traverse the vast distance Earth-Sun distance.

"During typical or low-activity times, our star launches two to three CMEs a day," says a leading scientist. "Next year, it's anticipated them to be over ten daily."

Researching CMEs ranks among the key research goals for the Indian first solar observatory. Firstly, because the ejections offer a chance to study the star at the centre of our solar system, and secondly, since events that take place on the Sun threaten systems on Earth and in space.

Impacts on Our Planet and Space Infrastructure

Coronal mass ejections seldom present a direct threat to human life, yet they impact our planet through generating magnetic disturbances that impact the weather in near space, where about 11,000 satellites, comprising Indian satellites, orbit.

"The most spectacular displays of a CME are auroras, which are a clear example that solar particles from our star are travelling toward our planet," the scientist explains.

"But they can also make all the electronics aboard spacecraft fail, knock down electrical networks and disrupt meteorological and telecom spacecraft."

Historical Solar Events

• The most powerful solar storm in history was the 1859 solar superstorm that disabled communication systems worldwide
• During 1989, a part of Quebec's power grid was knocked out, affecting six million people without power for nine hours
• During late 2015, solar storms disturbed flight operations, causing disruption in Sweden and some other European air hubs
• In February 2022, an ejection caused 38 commercial satellites failing

If we are able to see events in the solar atmosphere and detect solar activity or a coronal mass ejection in real time, record its temperature at origin and watch its path, this serves as advanced warning to shut down electrical systems and satellites redirecting them out of harm's way.

The Mission's Unique Advantage

While other solar missions observing the Sun, India's spacecraft has an advantage over others when it comes to watching the corona.

"The instrument has perfect dimensions that lets it effectively simulate the Moon, fully covering the solar disk permitting an uninterrupted view of nearly the entire of the corona 24 hours a day, throughout the year, even during eclipses and occultations," notes the expert.

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

Additionally, this is the only mission that can study solar events using optical wavelengths, enabling it to determine eruption heat and thermal output – crucial data that show how strong a CME would be when traveling toward Earth.

Preparation for Peak Period

In preparation for the upcoming solar maximum, scientists worked together analyzing information obtained from one of the largest solar eruption that Aditya-L1 has observed recently.

It originated in September 2024 at 00:30 GMT. Its mass was 270 million tonnes – the iceberg that struck the ship weighed much less.

Initially, its temperature reached extreme levels with energy equivalent was equivalent to 2.2 million megatons of TNT – relative to nuclear weapons used in Japan were 15 kilotons and 21 kilotons 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 Earth was 100 million megatons and when solar peak occurs, there may be CMEs with energy content matching even more than that.

"In my view the CME we analyzed to have occurred during periods of typical solar activity. This establishes the standard for future comparison to evaluate what to expect when the maximum activity cycle occurs," he says.

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