In the shadow of the Sun: Observing the Solar Corona with formation-flying artificial eclipses

Proba-3 is the European Space Agency's first eclipse-making mission. The mission consists of two satellites – the Coronagraph and the Occulter. Since their launch in December 2024, the satellite duo has claimed not one, but two world firsts – the first precise formation flight, setting the mission up for its first artificial solar eclipse in orbit.

After having achieved all of its technology goals, the mission has completed more than 60 extremely accurate formation flying orbits so far, during which it was able to observe the highly dynamic inner region of the Sun's corona.

INAF's involvement was crucial in the development of the flight formation metrology system, which allowed the two satellites, separated by 150 meters, to maintain a transverse alignment of 70 microns. INAF is still involved in the scientific analysis of the ASPIICS data. In the first year of operations, the telescope has observed for the first time phenomena that are extremely interesting for understanding the physics of the corona, such as waves and flows of coronal plasma that propagate not only away from the Sun, but also back towards it.

I will present these initial results and illustrate also those from the first joint campaigns of ASPIICS with Metis, the Solar Orbiter’s coronagraph whose science operations are managed by INAF.