2023-09-18 17:52:00
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has achieved remarkable feats over the past two years, becoming a pioneer in the exploration of the Sun by penetrating the star’s corona in 2021.
Now the probe has reached another milestone when experiencing a coronal mass ejection (CME)an event of extreme magnitude triggered by the excessive accumulation of energy inside the Sun, resulting in the explosive release of matter and radiation.
CMEs are, for example, behind geomagnetic storms on Earth, and although they are similar to solar flares, they are different aspects.
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Parker’s feat is remarkable, as the probe remained inside the ejection for about 48 hours, approaching a distance of about 9.3 million kilometers from the solar surface. This proximity is even more surprising when one considers that the probe is closer to the Sun than the planet Mercury itself, which is 37 million kilometers away.
Recently, a new scientific paper revealed incredible images aboard the probe during its daring foray into EMC. These images were shared with the public through YouTube:
This is an unprecedented observation of such a solar event at such close range. Parker Solar Probe project scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Nour Raouafi highlighted the complexity and relevance of this observation.
This mission illustrates the remarkable engineering behind the probe, which demonstrated its robustness by facing extreme solar conditions and emerging fully functional.
Furthermore, it promises significant advances in understanding the Sun and its impact on interplanetary space, contributing to our ability to predict and mitigate the effects of solar storms on Earth.
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