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Ulysses spacecraft data indicate Solar System shield lowering

23 September 2008

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Over more than 17 years of observations above and below the poles of the Sun, the ESA/NASA Ulysses mission has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the Sun itself, its sphere of influence (the heliosphere), and our local interstellar neighbourhood. The mission provided the first-ever map of the heliosphere in the four dimensions of space and time.

Ulysses was launched by Space Shuttle Discovery in October 1990. It headed out to Jupiter, arriving in February 1992 for the gravity-assist manoeuvre that swung the craft into its unique solar orbit. It orbited the Sun three times and performed six polar passes. The mission will be declared to have concluded on 1 July 2008 because of the declining capacity of the spacecraft to keep the onboard temperature optimal for functioning.

Credits: ESA (image by C.Carreau)

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The heliosphere is the big magnetic bubble in space carved out by the solar wind. The solar defines the border between our Solar System and interstellar space. This border, called the heliopause, is where the solar wind's strength is no longer great enough to push back the wind originating from other stars. The region around the heliopause also acts as a shield for our Solar System, warding off a significant portion of the cosmic rays outside the galaxy.

Latest data from Ulysses show that the Sun has reduced its output of solar wind to the lowest levels since accurate readings have become available. This current state of the Sun could reduce the natural shielding that envelops our Solar System.

Credits: NASA/Feimer

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Variation in the solar wind as observed by Ulysses over a solar cycle.

Credits: McComas et al. GRL, 2008

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