New mission could create artificial solar eclipses in space

ESA’s Proba-3 spacecraft captured this image of our star. The sun’s dazzling body is blocked by 1 of the 2 satellites making up Proba-3, leaving the other satellite free to image the our star’s wispy outer atmosphere. Now, a new mission proposes to use the moon, rather than a second spacecraft, to create artificial solar eclipses like these. See more of the images here. Image via ESA/ Proba-3/ ASPIICS/ WOW algorithm.

By Nicola Baresi, University of Surrey; Huw Morgan, Aberystwyth University; and Lucie Green...