CCD Bakeout on SOHO Camera

What does this mean? that solar activity is at a very high level?

sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov...
^^
this is the last picture taken i think. It looks like some crazy flares and activities

This is what a ccd bakeout is courtesy of nasa
umbra.nascom.nasa.gov...

[edit on 3-11-2009 by GW8UK]

Ahh you have GOT to love the timing on these things

Hopefully you got a screenshot of its last image.. I tried to access any previous images from SOHO and get an internal error from the site.

So looks like the sat will be out for, what, a week or so?

reply to post by Jomina


How long can one of these things take to fix? i doubt it is manufactured in bulk as it is for sun teloscopy, therefore unless it can be repared they will have to wait maybe up to a month for someone to make a new one and get the calibrations rite.

I hate to be a prick, but does nobody use Google anymore?

Is it just easier to type your question here, where somebody will likely respond saying it's the end of the world?

How about using the "search" feature on ATS to see if anybody has created a similar thread which may contain the info you are looking for?

Here ya go:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

I found them a web page with the answers they were looking for, simply by using google:

Originally posted by Paroxysm
What's a CCD bakeout, anyway?

[edit on 3-11-2009 by Paroxysm]

Ok Nig, get a mod to remove

Originally posted by GW8UK
reply to post by Jomina

 

How long can one of these things take to fix? i doubt it is manufactured in bulk as it is for sun teloscopy, therefore unless it can be repared they will have to wait maybe up to a month for someone to make a new one and get the calibrations rite.

This is regular maintenance done to evaporate away water vapor that collects on the CCD (the image sensor part of the camera).

SOSHO was "baked out" prior to launch in hopes to evaporate aff ony water or hydrocarbons that existed, but some remained. The CCD is usually kept very cold while in operation (-67 C), so from time-to-time, this water and hydrocarbons condensates back on the CCD. They warm up the CCD to about -16 C to evaporate this condensate, and the camera needs to be offline to do this.

The process takes 2 or 3 weeks.

This "bakeout" procedure is already being discussed on another thread here:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

By the way, there are no contingency plans to manufacture new parts for SOHO and take them there for repair. If SOHO breaks down, then its done.


[edit on 11/3/2009 by Soylent Green Is People]

Yh great info, lets all post links to the other thread
www.abovetopsecret.com...

From the Space Weather Prediction Center
Updated 2009 Nov 02 2201 UTC

Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity

I don't know what you were reading, but this is the latest Solar weather report... Don't hold your breath til you see Solar activity at a very high level:

SDF Number 306 Issued at 2200Z on 02 Nov 2009

Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 01/2100Z to 02/2100Z: Solar activity was very low. No flares were observed. The visible disk was spotless.

Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be very low.

Geophysical Activity Summary 01/2100Z to 02/2100Z: The geomagnetic field was quiet.

Geophysical Activity Forecast: Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be quiet for the next three days (03 - 05 November).

[Latest Report]

As far as the CCD bakeout... that is a regular thing they do to keep it functioning properly... its NORMAL... nothing to freak about.

reply to post by expat2368


Wasnt freaking ovcer the ccd thing, tbh just thought i would inform some people, then i found out that its a dup thread and have had some ridicule, now your telling me im worried.
I was referring to the image on the soho website of the blue sun, the photo looks crazy