A pair of European satellites have successfully created the first artificial solar eclipses through precise and intricate formation flying. These satellites have been orbiting Earth since last year and have produced simulated solar eclipses since March, providing valuable data for scientists.

The European Space Agency unveiled the eclipse images at the Paris Air Show, showcasing the innovative technology behind this groundbreaking achievement. By flying 492 feet apart, one satellite mimics the moon's role during a natural solar eclipse, allowing the other satellite to capture images of the sun's corona.

This complex operation requires extreme precision, with the cube-shaped spacecraft needing to maintain a distance accurate to within a millimeter. The satellites use GPS navigation, star trackers, lasers, and radio links to autonomously position themselves for the eclipse simulations.

Known as Proba-3, this $210 million mission has already produced 10 successful solar eclipses during the testing phase. The longest eclipse lasted five hours, and scientists are aiming for six hours of totality per eclipse once the scientific observations begin in July.

Lead scientist Andrei Zhukov from the Royal Observatory of Belgium expressed excitement over the initial results, noting that the corona was visible without any special image processing. The mission is expected to generate nearly 200 solar eclipses over a two-year period, providing over 1,000 hours of totality for scientific analysis.

While previous satellites have simulated solar eclipses, Proba-3 stands out for having the sun-blocking disk and telescope on separate satellites. This unique setup allows for a better view of the sun's corona, particularly the region closest to the sun's limb.

Scientists are eager to study the sun's corona, which remains a mystery due to its higher temperature compared to the solar surface. Understanding phenomena like coronal mass ejections can help predict space weather events that impact Earth's technology and communication systems.

The success of this mission highlights the importance of precision formation flying in space exploration and promises valuable insights into solar phenomena that affect our planet.