Have you ever imagined what the Earth would look like during a total solar eclipse, but from the Moon? A small Chinese satellite in lunar orbit managed to capture images of the visible eclipse over South America in 2019, thanks to orders from radio enthusiasts. Check out these fantastic images.
The images of the total eclipse were taken on July 2, 2019 with the “Inory eye” microcamera installed on Longjiang 2, a microsatellite developed by a team from the Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) in northeast China, then sent into lunar orbit.
Longjiang 2, also known as DSLWP-B, was launched with a twin (Longjiang 1) in May 2018. Each satellite has a mass of 45 kilograms.
The two satellites were launched with Queqiao, a Chinese satellite serving as a communication relay for the Chinese astromobile of the Chang’e 4 mission, which landed on the far side of the Moon (and therefore cannot directly communicate with the Earth). Note that the Longjiang program was designed to test a new interferometry technique for astronomical observations.
Photograph of the total solar eclipse that crossed South America on July 2, 2019, captured by Longjiang 2. Credits: Harbin Institute of Technology
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While Queqiao continued its mission beyond the moon, Longjiang 2 used its own propulsion to slow down and enter lunar orbit. And as part of the total eclipse, the tiny satellite received commands sent by HIT students, relayed by radio enthusiasts located in Europe, asking the spacecraft to take a picture of the Moon, the Earth and the stars. .
Crédits : Harbin Institute of Technology
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Crédits : Harbin Institute of Technology
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Crédits : Harbin Institute of Technology
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Regarding images of the July 2019 total solar eclipse, Reinhard Kühn, an amateur radio astronomer from Sörup, Germany, sent commands timing the imagery of the eclipse using an antenna in his garden.
You should know that Longjiang 2 also carried a remote sensing payload built by Saudi Arabia as part of international cooperation around the Chang’e 4 mission.
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In addition, the small satellite also returned amazing images of the Earth and the Moon:
Some of the pictures taken to the moon by DSLWP-B using Saudi Remote Sensing Payload to the moon https://t.co/24rxnqFOjv pic.twitter.com/YDXZbHXD8N
– Mohammed Bin Othman (@MBinOthman) August 1, 2019
Longjiang 2 ended its mission in August 2019, while it was deliberately crushed on the Moon to eliminate any risk for future lunar missions.
Source : schostar
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