First view of the Sun south pole filmed by spacecraft

   First view of the Sun south pole filmed by spacecraft

What Happened?

     For the first time, a spacecraft has taken a clear photo of the Sun’s south pole.

     The spacecraft is called Solar Orbiter. It was made by NASA and ESA (European Space
Agency). It was sent to space in 2020.

    Why Is This Important?

• The Sun’s poles control its magnetic power.

• This power can cause solar storms, which can hurt satellites, mobile networks, and GPS.

• We could not see the Sun’s poles before. Now, we can!

     How Did the Spacecraft Do It?

• The Solar Orbiter used the gravity of Venus to move in a new direction.

• In March 2024, it reached a new position and took a clear photo of the Sun’s south pole.

    What Did It Show?

• Hot gases (called plasma) moving on the Sun.

• Dark spots (called coronal holes) where solar wind comes out.

• Strange patterns in the Sun’s magnetic field.

    Why Should We Care?

• Scientists can now predict solar storms better.

• It helps keep our satellites and internet safe.

• We can now understand the Sun better than ever before.

What’s Next?

• The Solar Orbiter will later take a photo of the Sun’s north pole.

• We will keep learning more cool things about the Sun.

     In Short

    This is the first time ever that we can clearly see the Sun’s south pole. It is a big step in space
science. Now we can understand how the Sun works and how it affects Earth.