BBC: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scientists in India have reported the \u201cfirst significant result\u201d from Aditya-L1, the country\u2019s first solar observation mission in space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On 16 July, the most important of the seven scientific instruments Aditya-L1 was carrying \u2013 Visible Emission Line Coronagraph, or Velc \u2013 captured data that helped scientists estimate the precise time a coronal mass ejection (CME) began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Studying CMEs \u2013 massive fireballs that blow out of the Sun\u2019s outermost corona layer \u2013 is one of the most important scientific objectives of India\u2019s maiden solar mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMade up of energy particles, a CME could weigh up to a trillion kilograms and can attain a speed of up to 3,000km [1,864 miles] per second while travelling. It can head out in any direction, including towards the Earth,\u201d says Prof R Ramesh of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics that designed Velc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow imagine this huge fireball hurtling towards Earth. At its top speed, it would take just about 15 hours to cover the 150 million km Earth-Sun distance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The coronal ejection that Velc captured on 16 July had started at 13:08 GMT. Prof Ramesh, Velc\u2019s Principal Investigator who has published a paper on this CME in the prestigious Astrophysical Journal Letters, said it originated on the side of the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut within half an hour of its journey, it got deflected and went in a different direction, going behind the Sun. As it was too far away, it did not impact Earth\u2019s weather.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But solar storms, solar flares and coronal mass ejections routinely impact Earth’s weather. They also impact the space weather where nearly 7,800 satellites, including more than 50 from India<\/a>, are stationed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n