Eclipses on Demand: How ESA Is Casting Shadows in Space to Illuminate the Sun

For centuries, astronomers have waited patiently for solar eclipses to glimpse the Sun’s ethereal halo. Now? They’re making their own.

In a move straight from a science fiction script, the European Space Agency (ESA) has created a man-made solar eclipse in space—and it’s not just a one-time show. Using two satellites flying in tight formation, ESA’s Proba-3 mission is rewriting the rules of solar observation.

Scientists have figured out how to make a solar eclipse whenever they want, using two special satellites flying above Earth.

The European Space Agency launched a project called Proba-3. It has two satellites:

• One blocks the sunlight (like putting your thumb over a torch).
• The other takes pictures of the Sun’s outer layer, called the corona—a glowing, mysterious area that's hard to see normally.

These two satellites fly in perfect sync, 150 meters apart. That’s how they create a fake or artificial eclipse!

They can do this many times a week, and each eclipse lasts up to six hours—much longer than ones on Earth.

Notably, the Proba-3 mission satellites were launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) using their trusted PSLV-C59 rocket. The launch took place on December 5, 2024, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India. 

Why Is This a Big Deal?

• Scientists can now study massive solar blasts that mess with mobile networks, GPS, and power.
• They can examine the solar wind, which affects satellites and space weather.
• They're also closer to solving a mystery: Why is the Sun’s outer layer hotter than its surface?

They’ve already taken stunning images—green loops, fire-like arcs, and hidden details of the Sun.

It’s like building a permanent space lab to study our star. Maybe one day, we’ll even see artificial eclipses on Mars!

Precision Shadowplay in Orbit

At the heart of the mission are two spacecraft with poetic roles: the Occulter, which blocks sunlight using a 1.4-meter disk, and the Coronagraph, trailing behind at a razor-precise 150 meters, poised to observe the Sun’s corona—its wispy, superheated outer atmosphere.

The magic lies in their dance: millimeter-perfect alignment sustained autonomously in space, simulating a solar eclipse for up to six hours. No more relying on fleeting eclipses; now, solar scientists get multiple custom eclipses per week.

And nestled aboard the Coronagraph is ESA’s pride—ASPIICS (Association of Spacecraft for Polarimetric and Imaging Investigation of the Corona of the Sun). This instrument uses layered exposures to pierce the Sun’s glare and reveal its hidden anatomy.