Coronagraphy

Satellite-based coronagraphs

Coronagraphs in outer space are much more effective than the same instruments would be if located on the ground. This is because the complete absence of atmospheric scattering eliminates the largest source of glare present in a terrestrial coronagraph. Several space missions such as NASA-ESA's SOHO, and NASA's SPARTAN, Solar Maximum Mission, and Skylab have used coronagraphs to study the outer reaches of the solar corona. The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is able to perform coronagraphy using the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS), and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is able to perform coronagraphy using the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). The PROBA-3 mission, launched in 2024, used a separate spacecraft as a free-flying external occulter.