Astronomy: Skylab

In May 1973 the third and finally manned Skylab was launched as a solar observatory. Before two unmanned Skylab launches had taken place. Skylab's mission was to observe the Sun. And Skylab 3 observed the Sun for nearly six months with three teams of three astronauts. Skylab was made of a Saturn V-rocket and had the size of a bus. It had an orbit around the Earth at an altitude of 430 kilometers. Skylab discovered that the pattern of solar wind is caused by the condition of the corona. Holes in the corona were seen and these holes are caused by holes and distortions in the magnetical field of the Sun. On X-ray pictures these holes were traceable as dark spots in the corona around the both poles. The number and size of holes had an influence on the solar wind that reached Earth 4 to 5 days later. This photograph was taken on 19 december 1973 during the third Skylab mission. It shows one of the most spectacular solar flares ever recorded, spanning more than 365.000 miles (588.000 km) across the solar surface. The flare gives the distinct impression of a twisted sheet of gas in the process of unwinding itself. Several active regions are seen on the eastern side of the disk. The photograph was taken in the light of ionized helium by the extreme ultraviolet spectroheliograph instrument of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. The circling observatory was abandoned in 1974. Three years later the Earth's atmosphere expanded from a series of bursts of solar flames. The atmosphere slowed down the orbiting Skylab and it fell apart above the Indian Ocean. Its debris fell down in the Australian desert. Related subjects >> The Sun >> Solar observatory SOHO

Launch of Skylab on 25 may 1973 from Kennedy Space Center. The last crew of Skylab.