On this night in science
A spacecraft to watch the sun
December 2, 1995
On this day in 1995, a spacecraft called SOHO launched to keep a steady watch on the sun. It travels around the sun along with the Earth, staying in a spot between the two where it can see the sun all the time, day and night.
Why it mattered
It was built to last a couple of years, and it has kept watching for decades, helping scientists see storms on the sun before their effects reach the Earth.
Wonder together
If you could watch the sun safely all day long, what do you think you'd notice changing?
There's an episode about this
The Sun: Anchor of the Solar System
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