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Solar Dynamic Observatory

Space Agency:
Orbit:
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State of spacecraft:
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NASA
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Geosynchronous orbit (24-h period, inclined over the equator, eastbound, changing latitude over a constant longitude during the day)
Operational
Purpose:
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Features:
Observation of the solar surface to directly measure the magnetic field and the solar atmosphere to understand how magnetic energy is linked to the interior and converted to space weather-causing events.
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It provides ultra high-definition imagery of the Sun in 13 different wavelengths of light. Each wavelength was chosen to highlight a particular part of the Sun's atmosphere, from the solar surface to the upper reaches of the Sun's corona.

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