NASA announced on December 14 that the Parker Solar Probe successfully crossed the solar atmosphere known as the "corona" just 8 million miles from the sun's core and continued to approach the sun in April to dive deep into the corona, braving temperatures of 2,370 degrees Fahrenheit and 500 times more radiation than Earth.
The probe reportedly tolerated temperatures of 2370 degrees Fahrenheit and radiation 500 times stronger than Earth during its eighth approach to the Sun, eventually passing through the Sun's upper atmosphere.
The Parker Solar Probe will carry out a historic mission to protect the planet by unraveling the mysteries of dangerous solar storms and flares.
NASA provides an artistic rendering showing the Parker Solar Probe approaching the Sun.
The Parker Solar Probe approaches the artistic rendering of the Sun.
In a set of images released in the front row released by NASA, the streamline in the corona can be seen as a bright feature of upward movement, while the lower row is sloping downward.
Such a view is only possible because the probe is able to streamline above and below the inner corona. So far, the corona stream can only be seen from a distance. During a total solar eclipse, they can be seen from Earth.
The corona stream recorded by the probe.
On August 12, 2018, the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy Rocket launched the Parker Solar Probe from Launch Site 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. The $1.5 billion probe will carry out a historic mission to protect The Planet by unraveling the mysteries of dangerous solar storms and flares.
The Delta IV Heavy rocket was launched with the Parker Solar Probe.
As the Parker Solar Probe approaches the Sun, it is stepping into unexplored territory and making new discoveries.
This image shows the distance from the Sun by the Parker Solar Probe.
The Parker probe flew around Venus seven times before finally approaching the sun's surface in April.
Text/Nandu reporter Chen Lin