| Solar probe achieves major milestone |
 For the first time in history, a spacecraft has touched the Sun. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has now flown through the Sun’s upper atmosphere – the corona – and sampled particles and magnetic fields there. This new milestone marks one major step for Parker Solar Probe and one giant leap for solar science. Just as landing on the Moon allowed scientists to understand how it was formed, touching the very stuff the Sun is made of will help scientists uncover critical information about our closest star and its influence on the solar system. The first passage through the corona, which lasted only a few hours, is one of many planned for the mission. Upcoming flybys, the next of which is happening in January 2022, will likely bring Parker Solar Probe through the corona again. -NASA also photo |
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