THEMIS Solar Telescope
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The “Télescope Héliographique pour l’Étude du Magnétisme et des Instabilités Solaires” (THEMIS) of CNRS-INSU is a 1-meter-class optical solar telescope, primarily dedicated to studying solar magnetism and the dynamical processes within the Sun’s atmosphere (such as sunspots and solar flares). THEMIS can also perform observation of near-Sun objects such as Mercury and comets. THEMIS is located at the Teide Observatory of IAC, with a base office in La Laguna, in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. New: Schedule of 2025 observing campaign Click for information on: How to reach THEMIS locations ; How to contact the THEMIS team |
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Overview of telescope status
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The THEMIS telescope and its science
Technical & scientific information about THEMIS
THEMIS scientific objectives
THEMIS administrative structures
Observing with THEMIS
Information for research scientists wishing to observe with THEMIS
Weather at THEMIS location and weather forecast
THEMIS data products & data access
THEMIS Scientific research & results
Scientific research with THEMIS
THEMIS scientific highlights and news
THEMIS observations and media galleries
THEMIS image of the month: May 2025
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In a sequence of scans of the exosphere of Mercury obtained some years ago, THEMIS could follow the hourly evolution of the reconstructed distribution of the Sodium emission. The figure displays the intensity emission (in kiloRayleigh) after preliminary reduction, including bias and sky background subtraction, as well as spectral and flux calibrations. Solid white line highlights the disk of the planet, the cross indicating the center of the disk. Mercury disk is 6.0'' wide. The Sun is located on the left.
The images show the two peaks of higher intensity at high hermian latitude in the direction of the Sun. These peaks of sodium emission are roughly co-spatial with the positions of the magnetic footprints. Their evolution is due to the link of such emission with the Mercury magnetosphere and the interaction with the varying solar wind particles penetrating the magnetosphere and flowing to the surface.
Adapted from Mangano et al. 2013. |
THEMIS telescope management
