New Delhi: India’s first solar observatory—Aditya-L1— has captured the first high-energy X-ray glimpse of solar flares, two months after its launch, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said on Tuesday.

“HEL1OS captures first high-energy X-ray glimpse of solar flares during its first observation period from approximately 12:00 to 22:00 UT on October 29, 2023. The High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS) on board Aditya-L1 has recorded the impulsive phase of solar flares. The recorded data is consistent with the X-ray light curves provided by NOAA’s GOES,” Isro said in a statement.

US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducts an integrated programme on research, technology development, and services to improve the understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and inland waters, and to describe and predict changes occurring to them.

Its Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), known as the GOES-R Series, is considered the most sophisticated technology in provide advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s Western Hemisphere, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and improved monitoring of solar activity and space weather.

Isro statement added, “Commissioned on October 27, HEL1OS is currently undergoing fine-tuning of thresholds and calibration operations. The instrument is set to monitor the Sun’s high-energy X-ray activity with fast timing and high-resolution spectra. HEL1OS data enables researchers to study explosive energy release and electron acceleration during impulsive phases of solar flares.”

Also Read: ISRO sends off Aditya-L1 to final destination, successfully performs key manoeuvre

On September 2, the Indian space agency launched the Aditya-L1 spacecraft—the country’s maiden mission to study the Sun—from the spaceport in Sriharikota. After the launch, a series of Earth-bound manoeuvres were also performed to ensure that the craft gathers enough momentum to be launched into its 125-day journey.

The mission will allow India’s scientists to unlock new insights about the centre of our solar system, by ensuring uninterrupted observations of the Sun. The spacecraft is meant to be placed in a halo orbit around L1 of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth. To be sure, this point is only 1% of the Earth-Sun distance.

After a series of these manoeuvres, the Aditya-L1 spacecraft will finally be placed at Lagrange Point-1 or L1, from where it will start at least a five-year study to understand various aspects of the Sun—the nearest star to Earth.