欧空局首发太阳南极高清图像

Core Insights - The European Space Agency (ESA) has released the first high-definition images of the Sun's south pole, marking a significant achievement in solar observation [1] - The Solar Orbiter spacecraft, launched in February 2020, has successfully captured these images by increasing its orbital inclination through multiple gravity assists from Venus [1][2] - The current solar activity cycle is at its peak, with the south pole's magnetic field about to reverse, providing new insights into solar wind and space weather [2] Group 1 - The images reveal the Sun's atmosphere shining brightly, with localized temperatures reaching up to one million degrees Celsius, while darker gas clouds, although cooler, still exceed 100,000 degrees Celsius [2] - The Solar Orbiter is equipped with 10 scientific instruments, three of which collaborated to capture the diverse solar data presented in the images [2] - ESA anticipates that the data collected will enhance understanding of solar wind, space weather, and solar activity cycles over the coming years [2] Group 2 - The Solar Orbiter will continue to gather data, with a complete observation set expected by October, including full coverage of the solar poles [2] - Future gravitational assists from Venus will increase the spacecraft's orbital inclination to 24 degrees, ultimately reaching 33 degrees by 2029 for ongoing monitoring of the solar poles [2]