National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Marshall Space Flight Center
Hinode (Solar-B)
News Archive - 2006
**** Please peruse the SOT Picture of the Day catalog for additional image updates prior to 2010. (Also available through the Gallery.)
Hinode Science Center News: Press release of XRT/Hinode initial results
Conference Announcement: Images recorded during the engineering phase and a preliminary discussion of the results will be presented at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, California.
Science News: NOAA active region 10926 has been tracked until 5 December. As AR 10930 appeared on the east limb (a re-appearance of AR 10923), it emitted an X9.0 flare (the 15th largest GOES flare since 1976) at 10:18 UT. Hinode has been redirected to track this Active Region.
EIS News: Probe's close-up of Sun eruption
Science News: A Press Conference was held in Japan. For the full story, see Hinode Initial Results.
Operations News: Hinode continues to track NOAA active region 10923 to the Sun's west limb. After west limb passage of AR 10923, Hinode is observing quiet Sun and the northern polar region.
XRT News: XRT's stunning view of the Mercury Transit is featured at Science@NASA.
EIS News: UK scientists are invited to propose observations with Hinode's EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS).
XRT News: XRT's magnificent view of the Sun was featured in the November 11, 2006 issue of ScienceNews.
Operations News: Spacecraft pointing was adjusted to observe NOAA active region 10923.
Hinode Science Center News: Hinode witnessed Mercury Transit
Operations News: All instruments continue to study NOAA active region number 10921. The spacecraft was pointed to the limb as a test for the observation of the transit of Mercury on November 8 (for observation information in your local area, see Science at NASA). High resolution movies of spicules are being made in the light of Ca II.
Operations News: The image stabilization system of the Solar Optical Telescope has been tested and the tracking stability is better than 0.01" rms. From now on, the SOT will be operated with the image stablization system engaged. Line-of-sight magnetic field data using the Narrow-band Filter Imager have been obtained, yielding a time series of magnetograms. These data reveal the evolution of magnetic elements everywhere in the quiet Sun. The tentative target for 4 November, is the active region NOAA 10921.
EIS News: First Light for Hinode
EIS News: First Sunrise On Solar Satellite's Instruments
EIS News: Hinode Early Operations and Near-Future Plans
Hinode Science Center News: Hinode First Light
Operations News: Data from all three instruments are being evaluated. From the spectra obtained with the EIS in the 17 nm - 21 nm and 25 nm - 39 nm wavelength ranges, hot iron lines are detected, even in the quiet Sun. The EIS is performing as expected, with high spectral resolution and sensitivity. The signal to noise ratio of the spectral polarimeter (SP) of the SOT has been confirmed at 0.1% and fluctuation of the SOT image is 0.01", allowing for high accuracy magnetic field measurements.
EIS News: The rear door of the EIS was opened and the instrument successfully obtained fine Extreme UltraViolet spectra using the narrow 1" slit and an overlappogram using the 266" wide slot. The EIS is functioning normally.
EIS News: The front door of Extreme Ultra-Violet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) has been opened successfully. One of the two doors which protected the prefilter of the EIS during the launch was opened. The other door of the EIS is tentatively expected to be opened on 28 October.
SOT News: The SOT continues to perform well. The four optical systems, the broadband filter imager, the narrowband filter imager, the spectropolarimeter, and the correlation tracker are working. An engineering image in the Na I D line, shows granule patterns well. A one-hour movie in the G-band, has been downlinked to the European Space Agency's Svalvard Station in Norway, but has not yet arrived at the Sagamihara Operation Center in Japan.
SOT News: The SOT captured its first image! The top door was opened at about 17:00 JST and the telescope almost immediately began taking high-quality engineering test images in several wavelengths, using the broadband filter imager.
XRT & SOT News: XRT took a good-quality, visible-light image. The SOT is ready for the opening of its top door (tentatively scheduled for 25 October) and an observation table has been uploaded.
Operations News: The Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) is doing fine and "dark" images are being taken. The Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) is being tested with an internal LED light source and the CCDs show good response. The XRT is successfully taking engineering test images and has obtained a good-quality, X-ray image.
Operations News: Major elements of the spacecraft checkout have been completed, including the "safe-hold" tests. Japan has not reported any significant issues or concerns with any of the spacecraft subsystems. Subsequently, the Mission Data Processor was turned on last Thursday and the instruments powered on shortly thereafter. EIS has been turned on successfully. The SOT has begun its initialization processes. The OTA side-door (which dumps extra heat from the telescope) has been deployed. The XRT has been powered on and the XRT door is open. Later this week, a series of "through focus" images will be made.
XRT News: The X-Ray Telescope (XRT) was successfully turned on early this morning (approximately 3:57 am EDT). All of the sensors (temperature, voltage, currents) are in the "green". Switches are in expected positions and all equipment is operating as expected. Based on the success to date, "first light" has been scheduled for October 19.
EIS News: Launch of Hinode
Operations News: LAUNCH occurred at 21:36 UT. For a replay of the launch, click HERE for RealVideo or HERE for Windows Media. (Video courtesy of JAXA -- download time may be a minute or two.)
Hinode Science Center News: Hinode has flown!
Operations News: Beginning at 9:32 UT, a rehearsal of launch operations will commence. This rehearsal will include functional tests of the satellite and data flow tests.
- NASA Contact: Adam Kobelski
- Page Last Updated: Tuesday, 04 April 2017