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For Aditya-L1, 2026 is expected to be like no other.

This marks the initial occasion the spacecraft – that entered into space recently – can observe the Sun when it reaches its maximum activity cycle.

According to scientific data, this occurs approximately every 11 years when the Sun's polarity reverses – a similar Earth scenario would be the North and South poles swapping positions.

It's a time marked by intense activity. It involves the Sun changing from calm to stormy and features a huge increase in the frequency of solar storms and massive solar flares – massive bubbles of plasma that erupt of the Sun's outermost layer.

Composed of ionized particles, a coronal mass ejection can weigh up to a trillion kilograms and can attain velocities exceeding 2,000 miles each second. It can head out in any direction, even toward the Earth. At maximum velocity, it would take a CME about half a day to cover the 150 million km Earth-Sun distance.

"In the normal or quiet periods, the Sun launches a few solar eruptions a day," explains a leading scientist. "Next year, it's anticipated them to be over ten each day."

Researching coronal mass ejections ranks among the most important scientific objectives of India's maiden solar mission. One, as these eruptions provide an opportunity to study the Sun at the centre of our solar system, and secondly, since events occurring on the solar surface endanger infrastructure on Earth and in orbit.

Effects on Our Planet and Space Infrastructure

CMEs seldom present immediate danger to people, yet they impact life on Earth by causing magnetic disturbances that impact conditions in Earth's vicinity, where nearly 11,000 satellites, comprising many from India, are stationed.

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

"However, they may make all the electronics on a satellite malfunction, disable power grids and affect meteorological and telecom spacecraft."

Past Solar Incidents

• The most powerful solar storm ever recorded occurred during the Carrington Event that disabled telegraph lines across the globe
• In 1989, a part of Canadian electrical network failed, leaving six million people in darkness for nine hours
• In November 2015, solar storms disrupted flight operations, leading to disruption across Scandinavia and various European air hubs
• In February 2022, an ejection had led to 38 commercial satellites failing

If we are able to see what happens in the solar atmosphere and spot solar activity or a coronal mass ejection as it happens, record its temperature at the source and watch its path, it can work as advanced warning to switch off electrical systems and spacecraft redirecting them to safety.

Aditya-L1's Special Capability

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

"The instrument is the exact size enabling it to effectively simulate lunar coverage, fully covering the Sun's photosphere and allowing it continuous observation of nearly the entire solar atmosphere 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, even during eclipses and occultations," says the researcher.

In other words, the coronagraph acts like an artificial Moon, obscuring the Sun's bright surface to let researchers constantly study the dim solar atmosphere – a feat natural eclipses does only during eclipses.

Moreover, it's unique that can study solar events using optical wavelengths, letting it measure eruption heat and thermal output – crucial data that show how strong of an eruption when traveling toward Earth.

Preparation for Maximum Activity

In preparation for the upcoming peak solar activity period, scientists collaborated analyzing the data gathered from one of the largest solar eruption that Aditya-L1 has recorded until now.

It originated in September 2024 during early hours. The eruption's weight totaled billions of tons – the iceberg that struck the ship weighed much less.

Initially, the heat reached extreme levels with energy equivalent was equivalent to 2.2 million megatons of TNT – in comparison the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were 15 kilotons and 21 kilotons respectively.

Although the numbers make it sound incredibly large, the scientist classifies it as a moderate event.

The asteroid which wiped out the dinosaurs on Earth carried enormous energy and during solar peak occurs, we could see CMEs with energy content equal to greater levels.

"In my view this eruption we analyzed happened during periods was in the normal activity phase. Now this sets the standard that we'll be using to evaluate what is in store during solar maximum occurs," he says.

"The learnings gained will help us work out protective measures to implement safeguarding satellites in near space. Additionally, they'll aid achieving a better understanding of near-Earth space," he adds.