Abstract

Aditya-1 is India’s first dedicated, low-earth dawn-dusk orbit, mission to study the Sun. The main payload on this mission is a visible emission line solar coronagraph to observe the solar corona simultaneously in the Green (Fe XIV) and Red (Fe X) emission lines over 3 solar radii (≈ 1.5 degree) field-of-view (FOV). A larger FOV (≈ 6 solar Radii; 3.0 degree) continuum channel is also added for the study of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). The main scientific objectives of this mission are: (1) study of coronal wave heating mechanisms, (2) understanding the dynamical behaviour of small- and large-scale structures including the CMEs and (3) mapping the coronal magnetic topology. In this paper, a brief description of the scientific objectives are given. Some of the major technological challenges ahead during the payload realisation as well as in the data interpretation are also provided.