IRIS
ActiveLaunched in 2013·Sun-synchronous orbit
A small solar explorer zooming into the chromosphere, the puzzling layer where energy travels from the surface to the corona.
Main objectives
- Observe the chromosphere at very high resolution.
- Understand energy transfer to the corona.
- Study nanoflares and coronal heating.
Did you know?
IRIS resolves structures just 240 km across on the Sun, a star 109 times wider than Earth.
Timeline
Jun 27, 2013
Launch
Pegasus XL lift-off from Vandenberg.
Jul 01, 2013
First light
First high-resolution images of the chromosphere.
Aug 01, 2014
Fine structure revealed
Discovery of fine magnetic structures and jets.
IRIS
Instruments
[02]Specifications
Mass
Orbit
Resolution