Nasa's Parker Solar Probe makes history with closest ever approach to Sun: 'Millions of degrees'

The Parker Solar Probe aims to help scientists solve the mystery of why the Sun's corona is millions of degrees hotter than its surface.

In Short

• Parker Solar Probe made closest approach to Sun on Dec 24.
• Launched in 2018, it's completed 21 solar flybys.
• Mission aims to study Sun's corona and solar wind.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has made history with its closest-ever approach to the Sun on Christmas Eve.

On December 24 at 6:40 am Eastern time, the spacecraft flew just 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s surface, breaking its own record and getting more than seven times closer than any previous mission, according to Space.com.

During the flyby, the probe travelled at a breath-taking speed of 430,000 miles per hour, making it the fastest man-made object ever.

Launched in 2018, Parker has already completed 21 solar flybys, each time getting closer to the Sun. But this mission will take it deeper into the Sun’s corona, its outermost atmosphere, where temperatures reach 1,400°C and radiation is intense. The spacecraft is equipped with a carbon-composite shield to protect its instruments.

NASA’s Dr. Nicola Fox underpinned the significance of the mission, saying, “For centuries, people have studied the Sun, but you don’t experience the atmosphere of a place until you actually go visit it.”

The Parker Solar Probe aims to help scientists solve the mystery of why the Sun’s corona is millions of degrees hotter than its surface.

The spacecraft will also study the solar wind, which causes auroras on Earth but can also disrupt power grids and communication systems.

Dr. Jenifer Millard, an astronomer at Fifth Star Labs, pointed out the long-standing puzzle: “The surface of the Sun is about 6,000°C, but the corona, this tenuous outer atmosphere, reaches millions of degrees.”

Parker’s mission is vital for understanding space weather and its potential impact on Earth. After its flyby, the spacecraft will be out of contact with Earth for several days, and scientists will anxiously wait for a signal on December 27 to confirm it survived the extreme conditions.

The Parker Solar Probe is named after Eugene Parker, the solar physicist who first predicted the solar wind. Since its launch, the spacecraft has made groundbreaking discoveries, including detecting magnetic “switchbacks” in the solar wind.

Parker is expected to provide more transformative insights into the Sun’s behavior and space weather as it ventures deeper into the Sun’s atmosphere.

NASA scientists are now eagerly awaiting the probe’s safe return to communication, hopeful that the historic mission will reveal new secrets about our star.