BALLOON-BORNE POLARIMETRY

Far about two weeks in 1995, the balloon-borne Flare Genesis Experimen t will continuously observe the Sun well above the turbulent, image bl urring layers of the Earth's atmosphere. The polarization-free 80 cm t elescope will supply images to a liquid-crystal based vector magnetogr aph, which will measure magnetic features at a resolution of 0.2 arcse c. An electrically tunable lithium-niobate Fabry-Perot provides a spec tral resolution of about 0.015 nm. In a follow-up series of Antarctic balloon flights, the Flare Genesis Experiment (FGE) will provide unpre cedented details about sunspots, flares, magnetic elements, filaments, and the quiet solar atmosphere.