Solar Obiter's Venus flyby may reveal its interactions with Solar Winds

Solar Orbiter which is a symbol of joint association of US-European exploration had a closest approach to second planet of our Solar System. It was yesterday that is December 27 when orbiter, which is set on a journey to Sun, found itself nearest to planet, Venus. Here is all about approach.

Solar Orbiter makes its closest encounter with Venus 

Im ~ ESA

joint U.S.-European Solar Orbiter craft came closest to Venus on December 27 at 7:39 a.m. EST (12:39 GMT or 06:09 PM IST). According to a report by .com, craft was about 7,500 kilometres away from planet's cloud tops. craft's journey to Sun is going have several loops, including flyby of Venus. So, scientists tried making most out of opportunity to collect some important data during this closest approach. 

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Daniel Müller who is project scientist for mission at European ncy said in a news statement at annual fall meeting of American Geophysical Union that "Solar Orbiter is, of course, a mission t designed specifically to take Venus observations. We are always looking for bonus opportunities to do science, so yes, we will be doing observations when we approach Venus." Neverless, focus of this mission is to study Sun, which is why data collection time for Venus is limited. So, re would t be any ims of Venus coming out from this craft.

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But, Solar Orbiter did gar data using magnetometer, radio and plasma waves instrument and or sensors on energetic particle detector. This data will help scientists to understand how Venus interacts with Solar Winds as planet does t have its magnetic field like Earth. So, Solar Winds direct affect planet instead of magnetic field which is quite interesting and different.

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Im ~ NASA

Solar Orbiter is partnership between NASA and European ncy (ESA) which was launched in February. craft will spend seven years studying our Sun. On or hand, Solar Orbiter constitutes a unique design that will protect craft from Sun's heat. According to Muller, Sun-wary design has a heat shield. He mentioned that craft needs "to point our heat shield toward sun, that cant be changed. telescopes are all looking through heat shield in solar direction."

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Solar Orbiter will provide some detailed views of Sun's poles. But, scientists are also looking forward to kwing immediate environment of home star. craft is equipped with eugh suite of instruments that are said to deliver expected results as scientists probed.