APOD: Launch of the Solar Orbiter (2020 Feb 11)

[APOD Robot]

Launch of the Solar Orbiter

Explanation: How does weather on the Sun affect humanity? To help find out, the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA have just launched the Solar Orbiter. This Sun-circling robotic spaceship will monitor the Sun's changing light, solar wind, and magnetic field not only from the usual perspective of Earth but also from above and below the Sun. Pictured, a long duration exposure of the launch of the Solar Orbiter shows the graceful arc of the bright engines of United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket as they lifted the satellite off the Earth. Over the next few years, the Solar Orbiter will use the gravity of Earth and Venus to veer out of the plane of the planets and closer to the Sun than Mercury. Violent weather on the Sun, including solar flares and coronal mass ejections, has shown the ability to interfere with power grids on the Earth and communications satellites in Earth orbit. The Solar Orbiter is expected to coordinate observations with the also Sun-orbiting Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018.

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[bystander]

viewtopic.php?t=39928#p299485

[SpaceCadet]

How long will it take for the orbiter to get into position?

[Boomer12k]

"Up, Up.... and a way!!!!"
Or....my other one.... "...and it's a grand slam home run...out of the PARK!!!"

And it is a great image, and looks cool going up over the clouds.
:---[===] *

[neufer]

A nighttime launch of a solar mission

When will they ever learn

[orin stepanek]

Solar Orbiter to "coordinate observations with Parker Solar Probe"

SolarOrbiterLaunch_Demeter_960.jpg

Also makes a beautiful photo!

[TheZuke!]

"This Sun-circling robotic spaceship will monitor the Sun's changing light, solar wind, and magnetic field not only from the usual perspective of Earth but also from"

How is this spaceship going to monitor the Sun, from Earth, AND outer space?
B^)

[bystander]

A nighttime launch of a solar mission

When will they ever learn

Maybe they figured that by the time the orbiter caught up it would be daytime.

[bystander]

viewtopic.php?t=39928#p299485

[neufer]

A nighttime launch of a solar mission!

When will they ever learn?

Maybe they figured that by the time the orbiter caught up it would be daytime.

Sounds like a risky strategy to me. (Maybe they can redirect it to a different star.)

[pshaw]

A nighttime launch of a solar mission!

When will they ever learn?

Maybe they figured that by the time the orbiter caught up it would be daytime.

Sounds like a risky strategy to me. (Maybe they can redirect it to a different star.)

What? Now wait a minute, of course it was a nighttime launch - everybody knows it's too hot to visit the sun during the day!

[THX1138]

When our robot masters return I for one will be happy to both serve and oil them regularly

[daddyo]

The coordination with Parker might make for some really interesting 3-D images/movies of flares, or views into those "magnetic windows" previously mentioned here: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200203.html