Touching the Sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe: A Historic Christmas Eve Adventure

This Christmas Eve, NASA's Parker Solar Probe is making history with its closest approach to the Sun yet, coming within 3.8 million miles (6.2 million kilometers) of the solar surface. To put that into perspective, if the distance from the Earth to the Sun were the length of an American football field, Parker would be just four yards (meters) from the end zone!

Launched in August 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is on a seven-year mission to unravel the Sun's greatest mysteries and help us better understand space weather—events like solar storms that can impact technology on Earth. Its journey has been nothing short of groundbreaking, venturing closer to our star than any spacecraft in history.

Christmas Eve Perihelion: A Record-Setting Moment

The spacecraft’s closest approach, called perihelion, will happen on Tuesday, December 24, at 6:53 am (11:53 GMT). During this daring flyby, Parker will face extreme conditions:

• Scorching temperatures: Its heat shield will endure up to 1,700°F (930°C)—hot enough to melt most metals! Yet, its internal instruments will stay cool at around 85°F (29°C), thanks to its advanced design.

• Incredible speed: Parker will zoom through space at about 430,000 mph (690,000 kph)—fast enough to travel from Washington, D.C., to Tokyo in under a minute!

"This is one example of NASA's bold missions, doing something that no one else has ever done before to answer longstanding questions about our universe," said Arik Posner, Parker Solar Probe program scientist.

Challenges and Discoveries

During the perihelion, mission teams will lose direct contact with Parker. To ensure everything is going smoothly, they’ll rely on a special "beacon tone" this Friday. Once the spacecraft swings back around, it will begin sending valuable data.

"No human-made object has ever passed this close to a star, so Parker will truly be returning data from uncharted territory," said Nick Pinkine, Parker Solar Probe mission operations manager.

This daring journey is helping scientists explore:

• Solar wind: Parker is uncovering how these streams of charged particles from the Sun originate.

• Corona mysteries: The Sun’s outer atmosphere, called the corona, is puzzlingly much hotter than its surface. Parker is investigating why.

• CMEs: Parker is also studying how giant solar storms, called coronal mass ejections (CMEs), are formed and how they impact space weather.

What’s Next for Parker?

This Christmas Eve flyby is just the beginning. Parker has two more record-setting close passes planned for March 22, 2025, and June 19, 2025, each bringing it to a similarly close distance to the Sun.

The data collected during these daring journeys will help scientists understand how the Sun works and protect Earth from the effects of solar storms. As NASA’s Nick Pinkine said, "We’re excited to hear back from the spacecraft when it swings back around the Sun."

A Mission of Bold Exploration

The Parker Solar Probe is a true trailblazer, going where no spacecraft has gone before. By braving extreme heat and blistering speeds, it’s unlocking secrets about our Sun and helping us prepare for the challenges of space weather. So, while you’re celebrating the holidays this Christmas Eve, remember the Parker Solar Probe—flying just a few yards away from the “end zone” of the Sun and changing what we know about our universe forever!