astronomy

SOLAR (ISS)

SOLAR (ISS) is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand SOLAR (ISS) rather than just read about it. In short: SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory) was an ESA science observatory on the Columbus Laboratory, which is part of the International Space Station. SOLAR was launched with Columbus in February 2008 aboard STS-122.

Key takeaways

SOLAR (ISS) belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect SOLAR (ISS) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of SOLAR (ISS) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory) was an ESA science observatory on the Columbus Laboratory, which is part of the International Space Station. SOLAR was launched with Columbus in February 2008 aboard STS-122. It was externally mounted to Columbus with the European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF). SOLAR has three main space science instruments: SOVIM, SOLSPEC and SOL-ACES. Together they provide detailed measurements of the Sun's spectral irradiance. The SOLAR platform and its instruments are controlled from the Belgian User Support and Operations Centre (B.USOC), located at the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BISA) in Uccle, Belgium.

Instruments SOVIM (Solar Variability and Irradiance Monitor) instrument is based on an earlier instrument (SOVA) which flew aboard the European Retrievable Carrier, launched on STS-46 in 1992. It is designed to measure solar radiation with wavelengths from 200 nanometers - 100 micrometers. This covers near-ultraviolet, visible and infrared areas of the spectrum. SOLSPEC (Solar Spectral irradiance measurements) is designed to measure the solar spectral irradiance in the 165- to 3000-nanometer range with high spectral resolution. SOL-ACES (Auto-calibrating Extreme Ultraviolet and Ultraviolet spectrometers) consists of four grazing incidence grating spectrometers. They are designed to measure the EUV/UV spectral regime (17 nanometers - 220 nanometers) with moderate spectral resolution.

Mission The mission was originally planned for a 2003 launch, but was delayed following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. In 2012, the entire 450-tonne station was rotated so SOLAR could observe a full rotation of the Sun continuously. A Solar rotation takes about 24–28 days depending on the latitude. SOLAR's mission ended in 2017 with the failure of all but one of its instruments. On the morning of 28 January 2020 SOLAR was removed from FRAM 1 where it rested since it was delivered on STS 122 and strapped to the side of Cygnus NG-12 with the SDS placed on the other side. SOLAR was released from the station on 3 February 2020 and burnt up in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean on 13 March 2020 ending the mission which spent a decade photographing the sun.

Visuals

See also Scientific research on the ISS Spectroscopy

References

External links SOLAR at eoPortal SOLAR at ESA SOLSPEC homepage (includes photo gallery)

Illustrations

SOLAR (ISS): The Solar Monitoring Observatory is externally mounted on the Columbus Laboratory — The Solar Monitoring Observatory is externally mounted on the Columbus Laboratory

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with SOLAR (ISS)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what SOLAR (ISS) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to SOLAR (ISS) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about SOLAR (ISS) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of SOLAR (ISS)

In research: SOLAR (ISS) appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses SOLAR (ISS) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: SOLAR (ISS) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Columbus (ISS module), Crewed space observatories, Missions to the Sun, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for SOLAR (ISS) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study SOLAR (ISS) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what SOLAR (ISS) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain SOLAR (ISS) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is SOLAR (ISS) in simple terms?

Why does SOLAR (ISS) matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study SOLAR (ISS)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on SOLAR (ISS).