On Feb. 14, 1980, the Solar Maximum Mission (or SolarMax) launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and slipped into orbit around the Earth. With goals of better understanding solar flares, the solar constant, and solar atmosphere, the spacecraft carried instruments to image and observe the Sun in X-ray, gamma ray, and ultraviolet.  Only months into itsContinue reading “Feb. 14, 1980: SolarMax launches”

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