The solar orbiter flew over the planet last week and caught frames of sun glare falling on part of it.
The probe recorded unpublished images of VenusUS space agencyNASAOn Friday, the European Space Agency (ESA) published 13 images taken by the Solar Orbiter spacecraft as it passed about eight thousand kilometers from Venus On the 7th and 8th of August. In the frames, it is possible to see that the sun’s rays from the image falling on the planet make it shine and the “night” part of the star appears as a “black dot”. The astrophysicist in charge of the Washington Naval Research Laboratory, Philip Hess, said in a DC statement.
In the images, as Venus approaches, it is also possible to see the bright spots that NASA identified as the stars Omicron Tauri and Xi Tauri, which are part of the constellation Taurus. The probe, which was launched in February 2020, uses the gravity of Venus to be able to get closer to the sun and thus be able to tilt and record more records of the star. In addition to capturing the closest shots of the Sun so far, Solar Orbiter made another bridge close to Venus before this one. Six other approaches to the planet are expected between 2022 and 2030.
The image released by NASA and the European Space Agency shows the moment the Solar Orbiter spacecraft passes about 8,000 kilometers from Venus. Cute, isn’t it? pic.twitter.com/k8tkdOe7vQ
– Lorena Barros (@lorenabarrosp) August 13, 2021
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