On Wednesday, November 6, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will complete its final maneuver around Venus, propelling it on its closest path to the Sun.(NASA)
ON Wednesday, November 6, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will complete its seventh maneuver around Venus. The spacecraft’s final maneuver around the planet will propel it on a path that takes it 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s surface. This will be the closest a human-made object has ever come to the Sun.
“We’re basically on the verge of landing on a star,” Nour Raouafi, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory and project scientist for the Parker Solar Probe mission, told BBC News earlier this year. “This will be a monumental achievement for all of humanity. This is the equivalent of the 1969 moon landing.”
The Parker Solar Probe, which is about the size of a small car, launched in 2018 on a bold mission to “touch” the Sun. Scientists hope that this probe can solve some of the biggest mysteries about our Sun, such as why the corona, the thin outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere, can be hundreds of times hotter the farther from the Sun’s surface. In fact, this plane is already starting to unravel some of these puzzles.
Gravitational assistance from Venus is critical in pushing Parker closer to the Sun, as it takes advantage of the planet’s gravitational pull to reduce its orbital energy and tighten its orbit around the Sun.
“Venus 7 is an important gravity assist for the Parker Solar Probe to finally reach its minimum distance from the Sun,” said Yanping Guo, mission design and navigation manager from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland, in a recent NASA statement.
Although the probe was designed to study the Sun, repeated flybys near Earth’s “evil twin,” which scientists say hasn’t received enough robotic visits in recent decades, have prompted Parker operators to activate its instruments and collect valuable bonus data. During Parker’s third flyby of Venus in July 2020, for example, scientists were surprised to discover that the probe’s cameras could penetrate Venus’ thick clouds to its surface, revealing the distinctive features, such as continental regions, plains, and plateaus, etched into the planet’s surface. .
The camera, called the Wide-Field Imager for the Parker Solar Probe, or WISPR, also recorded a faint flow of heat from the night side of Venus, which, at 860 degrees Fahrenheit (460 Celsius), would be like “a piece of iron pulled from a kiln, ” said Brian Wood of the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC, in a NASA statement.
Some parts of the WISPR image also appear brighter than expected, suggesting that the camera may have captured information about Venus’ surface that has not been visible to previous spacecraft, such as subtle chemical differences on the surface or age variations, perhaps caused by recent lava flows. .
To study surface features in greater detail, mission scientists will again aim WISPR at Venus on Wednesday when the Parker Solar Probe glides within 233 miles (376 km) of the planet’s surface.
“Because Parker passed over a number of landforms that are both similar and different from previous flybys of Venus, this November 6 flyby will give us more context to evaluate whether WISPR can help us distinguish the physical or even chemical properties of the surface of Venus,” said Noam Izenberg , a planetary geologist at APL, in a recent NASA statement.
On Christmas Eve, the Parker Solar Probe will pass through the Sun’s “surface” — the photosphere, or visible part of the Sun — at a record speed of 430,000 miles per hour (692,010 kilometers per hour). The mission control center will lose contact with the craft at that time, but will be waiting for a signal on December 27 that will confirm the success of its close approach and the condition of the spacecraft. (Space/Z-3)
Parker Solar Probe: Touching the Sun! (No, Really!)
Gather ’round, folks! On November 6, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will pull off a rather impressive stunt—its seventh maneuver around our lovely neighbor, Venus. We’re talking about 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s blazing surface. That’s right; it’s the closest a human-made object will ever be to the Sun (unless, of course, you count your local burnt-out star at karaoke night).
“We’re basically on the verge of landing on a star,” exclaimed Nour Raouafi, who, let’s face it, might be just a touch dramatic, but we get it—it’s the equivalent of the 1969 moon landing. Except this time, no one’s carrying a flag, and if anyone goes to take a selfie, they’re likely to melt.
What the Probe Can Tell Us About the Sun
Now, this little car-sized contraption, which launched back in 2018, isn’t just out for a joyride. The mission is to “touch” the Sun—can you even imagine the Sun rolling its eyes at that? “Oh sure, come on over, it’s not like I’m busy burning life forms down here!”
Scientists are hoping to solve some solar mysteries. Why is the corona, that vague outer layer of the Sun, hundreds of times hotter than the surface? It’s like asking why a pizza oven is hotter than the pizza itself. We’re cracking the code, one fiery pizza slice at a time.
Gravity’s Got Your Back
And let’s not forget about our old friend, gravity. Venus is playing the part of assistant here, helping Parker whip closer toward the Sun. It’s that classic “please take me with you” moment when your friend tries to crash your party, but in a way that actually benefits everyone—so you just can’t say no.
Yanping Guo, who’s managing the mission navigation (definitely not the person you want to argue about directions with), emphasized that Venus is critical for Parker’s final push into the Sun’s fiery embrace. If this were a sitcom, Venus would be the comedic sidekick providing comic relief while the probe does all the heavy lifting.
Venus: The Other Bad Boy of the Solar System
Speaking of Venus, when was the last time it received attention? Scientists have been practically ignoring it! But the Parker probe’s third flyby back in July 2020 proved eye-opening, revealing the planet’s surface, much to everyone’s surprise, like yelling, “Surprise! I’ve got plateau pics!” The probe’s camera, affectionately dubbed WISPR (wide-field imager for Parker Solar Probe), has been busy snapping all sorts of features on Venus, sending back images that would make a geography teacher swoon.
In fact, Brian Wood from the Naval Research Laboratory can’t help but compare Venus’ temperature to “a piece of iron pulled from a kiln.” And let’s hope no one decides to test that theory up close—yikes!
The Excited Anticipation of December
The excitement doesn’t even stop there! On Christmas Eve—talk about a dramatic build-up—the Parker Solar Probe will speed past the Sun’s photosphere at an astonishing 430,000 miles per hour. The only folks moving that quick on Christmas are the last-minute shoppers running for that elusive gift.
When that happens, mission control is in for a nail-biting wait until December 27, hoping to get the thumbs-up signal from the probe confirming it’s still intact after its fiery encounter. If anyone needs a nail-biter of a Christmas story, they have one brewing right there in mission control!
The Final Word
So, as we count down to November 6 and ultimately to Christmas Eve, let’s all hold our breath and appreciate the audacity of this mission. Who knew that pushing boundaries and touchy-feely solar explorations could evoke such a mix of awe and cheeky humor? NASA is out there reaching for the stars—or, you know, baking them to perfection while we sit here in our comfortable chairs, mugs in hand, scrolling through social media.
Here’s to the Parker Solar Probe: it may be heading for the Sun, but it’s bringing back more than just toasted information—it’s igniting a whole new fascination with our celestial neighbors. Cheers!
Fectionately known as WISPR (Wide-Field Imager for the Parker Solar Probe), managed to cut through the thick haze of Venus. It revealed striking features including continental regions, plains, and plateaus that had previously evaded the eyes of robotic visitors.
What’s even more fascinating is that WISPR noticed a faint thermal glow coming from Venus’s night side, a place hotter than a metal straight from a furnace. Brian Wood from the Naval Research Laboratory compared it to “a piece of iron pulled from a kiln.” Talk about a hot date!
Getting Up Close and Personal
So, what’s next for our fearless probe? On November 6, it’ll zoom within just 233 miles (376 km) of Venus’s surface. Get ready for the latest snapshot of our sultry sister planet! Noam Izenberg, a planetary geologist at APL, quipped that this flyby will give them more context to see if WISPR can help distinguish the physical and chemical properties of Venus. After all, it’s high time we learn a little more about our neighboring planet.
Let’s not forget, later this year on Christmas Eve, Parker Solar Probe will make history again by diving into the Sun’s photosphere at an astonishing speed of 430,000 miles per hour (692,010 kilometers per hour). Although mission control will lose contact during that daring maneuver, they’ll be eagerly awaiting a signal on December 27 to confirm the probe’s success. To paraphrase a famous space quote: “That’s one small step for tiny machines, one giant leap for solar science.”
as the Parker Solar Probe prepares to take its next bold leap closer to the Sun, it’s also shedding light (literally and figuratively) on our mysterious companion, Venus. So grab your popcorn, folks, because this scientific drama is just heating up!
