The Parker Solar Probe, the fastest-moving object ever built by humans, has been flying through outer space for six years now. Despite its impressive speed and the fact that it is the first NASA spacecraft named after a living person, the probe has not received much attention since its launch in 2018. However, that is about to change as the probe makes its closest approach to the sun on Christmas Eve. This will be the first time the probe enters the solar atmosphere, enduring temperatures of over 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The goal of this daring mission is to understand the origins of the solar wind, a stream of charged particles that emanate from the sun’s corona. This mystery has puzzled scientists for over half a century, and the Parker Solar Probe is finally going straight to the source to find answers. As we eagerly await the results of this groundbreaking mission, it is clear that the Parker Solar Probe is a testament to human ingenuity and our unending quest for knowledge about the universe.
