For the first time, NASA is all set to release of the first complete view of the Suns entire surface and atmosphere on at 11 a.m. EST on Sunday, Feb 6. The views will enable significant advances in space weather forecasting for Earth, and improve planning for future robotic or crewed spacecraft missions throughout the solar system.

NASAs two Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft, which are going to capture the Sun, are on diametrically opposite sides of the Sun, 180 degrees apart. Designed by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, in 2009, STEREO revealed the 3-D structure of coronal mass ejections, which are violent eruptions of matter from the Sun that can disrupt communications, navigation, satellites and power grids on Earth.

The STEREO imaging and particle detecting instruments were designed and built by scientific institutions in the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland.

Published Date : Sunday, 6/2/2011 1:05 PM IST