To the excitement of space fans, a NASA spacecraft finally touched the Sun's corona. This opens up the potential for research on the unexplored and dangerous atmosphere of the Sun.
At the American Geophysical Union meeting on Tuesday, scientists announced the status of the Parker Solar Probe space mission as it flew through the Sun's corona in April. Notably, it took researchers a few months to get the data from the spacecraft and another set of months to confirm it. This development sparked the interest of many others involved in space study.
Solar Parker Probe: The NASA Sun Spacecraft
The American Physical Society posted an infographic of the Solar Parker Probe space mission to the Sun for reference. The photos are written and drawn by Jorge Cham.
According to it, many researchers are puzzled by the Sun's unique atmosphere. Its inner surface is only 5,500 Degrees Celsius, whereas its atmosphere reaches up to 1,000,000 degrees! Although they are curious, studying the Sun proved to be challenging. Not only is its atmosphere dangerous, but it's distance makes it hard for any spacecraft to communicate with Earth.
This is why researchers developed the Parker Solar Probe, which features a unique front heat shield sturdy enough to withstand the Sun's temperature. It also has a cooling system, light detector, solar wind "scoop," solar panel and three independent computers that help oversee its operations.
To operate properly, Parker's heat shield should always face the Sun. Any deviation that would expose the gear on its back could melt it. Using the cameras installed, the Solar Parker Probe tracks constellations to keep itself oriented on the Sun. The probe regularly orbits between the Sun and Venus, coming closer to the former with each pass.
After years of long wait, this spacecraft finally came close enough to actually enter the Sun's corona.
NASA Sun Spacecraft: How Did It Reach the Sun
Sources of KRLD News Radio noted that the Solar Parker Probe was approximately 8 million miles from the center of the Sun when it crossed the corona's jagged and uneven boundary. For reference, this is the area that separates the solar atmosphere of the Sun and the outgoing solar wind.
Parker dipped in the corona at least three times, with each entrance and exit a smooth transition. Its first entrance lasted for about five hours. Justin Kasper, a researcher at the University of Michigan, emphasized that Parker moved at speeds approximately 62 miles per second in the timeframe.
Preliminary research revealed that the corona was dusty, but many researchers had anticipated this. For now, they are looking forward to expanding research on the Sun's origin of the solar wind and how it generates its magnetically intense regions.
The Solar Parker Probe came close to the Sun in August, and its 10th approach just happened last month. This cycle will notably continue until it reaches its grand finale orbit in 2025.
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