On Christmas Eve, a significant event is set to occur as NASA’s Parker Solar Probe makes its closest approach to the sun yet.
This mission will bring the probe within just 3.8 million miles (about 6.1 million kilometers) of the solar surface, allowing it to enter the solar atmosphere for the first time.
Mission Background
Launched in August 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is named in tribute to physicist Eugene Parker.
It is designed to withstand extreme conditions, with temperatures expected to exceed 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,371 degrees Celsius).
The main goal of this mission is to deepen our understanding of solar wind, which consists of streams of charged particles emitted from the sun’s corona.
Scientific Significance
Nicky Fox, NASA’s chief of science, emphasized the importance of unraveling the complexities surrounding solar wind, a phenomenon that has intrigued scientists for more than fifty years.
Throughout its mission, the Parker Solar Probe has encountered numerous challenges, including the development of a spacecraft capable of withstanding both intense heat and the frigid temperatures of outer space.
Technological Innovations
The instruments aboard have been carefully designed to function in the extreme environment near the sun, marking a significant milestone in the realm of solar research.
“`htmlStudy Details:
- Author: Eric Berger
- Source: Ars Technica
- Topic: Parker Solar Probe and solar wind
- Title: Dynamics of the Interplanetary Gas and Magnetic Fields
- Authors: E. N. Parker
- Journal: The Astrophysical Journal
- Publication Date: 1958
- DOI: 10.1086/146579
- Link: Ars Technica