Monday
Dec232024
Parker Probe: Close to touching the sun on Christmas Eve
Monday, December 23, 2024 at 2:16AM 
The probe has incrementally approached the sun by utilizing gravitational assists from Venus to accelerate. (Image: NASA, JPL, Horizons system)
NASA's Parker Solar Probe is on a daring mission to get closer to the sun than ever before. On Christmas Eve at 6:53 a.m. ET, it will break its own record for the nearest approach to the sun at 6.1 million kilometres (3.8 million miles). It will also be the fastest human-made object ever, reaching a scorching speed of 430,000 mph (700,000 km/h).