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NASA's Parker Solar Probe Sets New Record for Closest Approach to the Sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe has set a new record for the closest approach to the sun, flying just 15 miles (24 kilometers) above the solar surface. The spacecraft, launched in 2018, has been studying the sun's corona, the outer atmosphere of the star, and has provided new insights into the sun's behavior and the solar wind.

The probe's closest approach, known as perihelion, occurred on October 29, 2020, and was part of a 24-hour-long solar encounter phase. During this time, the spacecraft was traveling at a speed of about 150,000 miles per hour (240,000 kilometers per hour) and was exposed to intense heat and radiation from the sun.

The data collected by the probe during this close approach will help scientists better understand the sun's behavior and the solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles that flows from the sun and affects the Earth's magnetic field. The solar wind can also cause aurorae to appear at lower latitudes than usual.

"The Parker Solar Probe has given us a new perspective on the sun and its behavior," said Dr. Nicola Fox, the mission's project scientist. "By studying the sun up close, we can better understand how it affects the Earth and the solar system as a whole."

The Parker Solar Probe is expected to continue making close approaches to the sun until 2025, when it will complete its primary mission. The spacecraft is designed to withstand the intense heat and radiation from the sun, and its instruments are capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius).

The mission is a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the University of California, Berkeley. The spacecraft was built by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.