First artificial solar eclipse captured in orbit

By Dean Murray

Incredible images show the first artificial solar eclipse in orbit.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 mission involves two satellites flying in precise formation, with one spacecraft positioned 150 meters ahead of the other.

The front satellite, acting as an occulting disc, blocks the Sun’s bright surface, allowing the trailing satellite’s coronagraph instrument to capture detailed images of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona.

This technique mimics a total solar eclipse, which on Earth lasts only a few minutes, but in space can be sustained for hours.

ESA said Monday, June 16: "This March, Proba-3 achieved what no other mission has before – its two spacecraft, the Coronagraph and the Occulter, flew 150 meters apart in perfect formation for several hours without any control from the ground.

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"While aligned, the pair maintains their relative position down to a single millimeter – an extraordinary feat enabled by a set of innovative navigation and positioning technologies."

The mission’s early results have already provided new insights into solar phenomena such as the solar wind and coronal mass ejections, which can affect space weather and satellite communications.

Launched in December 2024, Proba-3 is a collaborative effort involving more than 29 companies across 14 countries.

ESA officials say the mission will continue to provide valuable data for years to come.