M5+-+9

RIGHT-CLICK on these links to "Open in a new window"
 * Category 9 - Solar Astronomy **
 * Genesis || JPL Past ||
 * Ulysses || JPL & NASA Current ||
 * SOHO || NASA Current ||
 * TRACE || NASA Current ||
 * SORCE || NASA Current ||
 * STEREO || NASA Current ||
 * Wind || NASA Current ||

 JPL PAST Missions http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/past_missions.cfm JPL CURRENT Missions http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/index.cfm NASA CURRENT Missions http://www.nasa.gov/missions/current/index.html

**GENESIS:** Launched August 8th, 2001 Returned in 2004 Weighed 494 kilo-grams/ 1089 pounds Purpose: 1To understand the history of the sun in time. 2To collect solar wind samples for us to observe on Earth Genesis headed toward an orbit between the sun and Earth called L1. At this point, both gravitational forces between earth and the sun were equal. AT first, Genesis dodnt collect enough samples with detectable amounts of neon produced by cosmic ray particles because it wasnt obtainable in the 27 months it was in space. But, in the first gas extractions, it //did// provide neon isotopic compositions never before seen in lunar sample info. Genesis used ion contractors, ion monitors, and a specially synthesized bulk of glass. Genesis helped scientisets conclude that the Appolo solar energetic particles are non-existent

**SOHO (** Solar and Heliospheric Observatory ) **:** **Launched: December 2, 1995 Reurned: Still out there :) Weighed: Purpose: to explore the heat of the sun. it uses the waves given off from the core of the sun to collect data on the sun's heat.**

Ulysses made its first pass of the Sun's south pole in 1994, followed by a pass of the Sun's north pole in 1995. The next southern polar pass occurred in 2000.
 * ULYSESS: Launched: October 6, 1990 Returned: Weighed: 370 kilograms/ 814 puonds Purpose: To explore the regions of the Suns northern and southern poles.**

TRACE ( transition region and coronal eplorer): trace will explore the 3d magnetic structures that come from the sun's surfaceTRACE will nearly simultaneously capture high spatial and temporal resolution images of the transition region. The TRACE data will provide quantitative observational constraints on the models and thus stimulate real advances in our understanding of the transition region. <- TRACE