Posted on 12/23/2024 10:27:50 PM PST by nickcarraway
A Nasa spacecraft is attempting to make history with the closest ever approach to the Sun. The Parker Solar Probe is plunging into our star's outer atmosphere, enduring brutal temperatures and extreme radiation.
It's out of communication for several days during this burning hot fly-by and scientists will be waiting for a signal, expected on 27 December, to see if it has survived.
The hope is the probe could help us to better understand how the Sun works. Dr Nicola Fox, head of science at Nasa, told BBC News: "For centuries, people have studied the Sun, but you don't experience the atmosphere of a place until you actually go visit it "And so we can't really experience the atmosphere of our star unless we fly through it."
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
At night it’s called the moon.
Hopefully we can start helium mining soon.
Oh great. Now trump is going to make the sun the 53rd state
At night too
That’s a Bricklin. I think they made them in New Brunswick Canada.
“The probe will have to endure temperatures of 1,400C [2550F] and radiation that could frazzle the onboard electronics.
It is protected by a 11.5cm (4.5 inches) thick carbon-composite shield but the spacecraft’s tactic is to get in and out fast.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.