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Regarding Aditya-L1, 2026 will be like no other.

It's the first time the spacecraft – which was placed in orbit last year – can observe the Sun when it reaches the peak of its solar cycle.

As per research, it comes approximately once every 11 years as the Sun's polarity reverses – the Earth equivalent could be the North and South poles changing places.

It's a time of great turbulence. It sees the Sun transition from calm to stormy and is marked by a significant rise in the frequency of solar storms and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – massive bubbles of plasma that blow out from the solar corona.

Made up of charged particles, a CME can weigh up to a trillion kilograms and reach a speed of up to 3,000km per second. It can travel toward various directions, even toward our planet. At maximum velocity, it would take a CME 15 hours to traverse the 150 million km between Earth and the Sun.

"In the normal or quiet periods, the Sun emits a few solar eruptions daily," explains a leading scientist. "In 2026, we expect there will be 10 or more each day."

Studying coronal mass ejections is one of the most important scientific objectives for the Indian maiden solar mission. Firstly, because the ejections offer a chance to study the Sun in the center of our planetary system, and two, because activities that take place on the solar surface endanger infrastructure on Earth and in space.

Effects on Earth and Orbital Systems

Coronal mass ejections seldom present immediate danger to people, yet they impact our planet through generating magnetic disturbances affecting the weather in near space, where about thousands of spacecraft, comprising Indian satellites, orbit.

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

"However, they may cause electronic systems aboard spacecraft fail, knock down electrical networks and affect weather and communication satellites."

Past Solar Incidents

• The strongest solar storm ever recorded occurred during the Carrington Event which knocked out telegraph lines across the globe
• In 1989, sections of Canadian electrical network failed, affecting millions in darkness for nine hours
• In November 2015, solar storms disrupted air traffic control, causing disruption in Sweden and some other European air hubs
• Recently in 2022, an ejection had led to 38 commercial satellites being lost

With capability to observe what happens in the solar atmosphere and detect solar activity or solar eruption as it happens, measure its heat at origin and watch its trajectory, it can work as advanced warning to switch off power grids and satellites redirecting them to safety.

The Mission's Unique Advantage

While other solar missions observing the Sun, Aditya-L1 has an advantage compared to rivals when it comes to studying the solar atmosphere.

"The instrument is the exact size that lets it nearly mimic lunar coverage, fully covering the solar disk and allowing it continuous observation of nearly the entire solar atmosphere around the clock, throughout the year, even during eclipses and occultations," notes the expert.

In other words, the coronagraph functions as an artificial Moon, blocking the Sun's bright surface allowing researchers continuously observe its faint outer corona – something natural eclipses does only during specific moments.

Additionally, it's unique capable of examining eruptions in visible light, enabling it to measure eruption heat and thermal output – key clues that show how strong of an eruption if it headed toward Earth.

Readiness for Peak Period

In preparation for the upcoming solar maximum, researchers worked together to study information obtained from one of the largest CMEs that Aditya-L1 has recorded until now.

This event began in September 2024 during early hours. Its mass totaled billions of tons – for comparison that sank Titanic was 1.5 million tonnes.

Initially, its temperature reached extreme levels with energy equivalent was equivalent to 2.2 million megatons of explosives – in comparison nuclear weapons used in Japan were much smaller in scale respectively.

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

The space rock that eliminated prehistoric life on our planet carried enormous energy and during solar peak occurs, there may be CMEs with energy content matching greater levels.

"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 is in store when the maximum activity cycle arrives," he states.

"The learnings gained will assist in developing the countermeasures to implement to protect spacecraft in near space. Additionally, they'll aid us gain a better understanding of near-Earth space," he adds.