Browsing: SOHO

The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is a collaborative project between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA designed to study the Sun. Launched in December 1995, SOHO operates from a vantage point approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, in an orbit around the first Lagrangian point (L1), which allows for continuous observation of the Sun. The mission’s primary goals include investigating the solar atmosphere, monitoring solar activity, and examining the solar wind and its impact on space weather. SOHO is equipped with an array of instruments that provide valuable data on the Sun’s interior, its outer atmosphere, and the larger heliosphere. The observatory has significantly advanced our understanding of phenomena like solar flares and coronal mass ejections, contributing to our ability to forecast space weather events that can affect satellite operations and communications on Earth.