Watch: India’s Aditya-L1 solar mission takes a selfie, sends photos of Earth and Moon

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday shared pictures of Earth and the Moon sent by India’s maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1. The spacecraft also sent a “selfie” clicked using its on-board camera.

Aditya-L1 is headed to the Lagrangian point (L1), which is 1.5 million km from the Earth. Launched on September 2, the mission is aimed at studying the outermost layers of the Sun and collecting crucial data.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the space agency shared a photo of the VELC (Visible Emission Line Coronagraph) and SUIT (Solar Ultraviolet Imager) instruments of Aditya-L1 as seen by the spacecraft’s camera.

Another image shows the Earth and the Moon from the point of view of Aditya-L1.

“Onlooker! Aditya-L1, destined for the Sun-Earth L1 point, takes a selfie and images of the Earth and the Moon,” the text attached to the tweet read.

India launched its first solar mission last week from Sriharikota in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

“The launch of Aditya-L1 by PSLV-C57 is accomplished successfully. The vehicle has placed the satellite precisely into its intended orbit. India’s first solar observatory has begun its journey to the destination of Sun-Earth L1 point,” ISRO tweeted after the launch.

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