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| Spacecraft attempts closest-ever approach to Sun | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Parker Solar Probe will break records as it makes its burning hot fly-by | Parker Solar Probe will break records as it makes its burning hot fly-by |
| 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." | "And so we can't really experience the atmosphere of our star unless we fly through it." |
| The spacecraft will be flying into the Sun's outer atmosphere | The spacecraft will be flying into the Sun's outer atmosphere |
| Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018, heading to the centre of our Solar System. | Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018, heading to the centre of our Solar System. |
| It has already swept past the Sun 21 times, getting ever nearer, but the Christmas Eve visit is record-breaking. | It has already swept past the Sun 21 times, getting ever nearer, but the Christmas Eve visit is record-breaking. |
| At its closest approach, the probe is 3.8 million miles (6.2 million km) from our star's surface. | At its closest approach, the probe is 3.8 million miles (6.2 million km) from our star's surface. |
| This might not sound that close, but Nasa's Nicola Fox puts it into perspective: "We are 93 million miles away from the Sun, so if I put the Sun and the Earth one metre apart, Parker Solar Probe is four centimetres from the Sun - so that's close." | This might not sound that close, but Nasa's Nicola Fox puts it into perspective: "We are 93 million miles away from the Sun, so if I put the Sun and the Earth one metre apart, Parker Solar Probe is four centimetres from the Sun - so that's close." |
| The probe will have to endure temperatures of 1,400C and radiation that could frazzle the onboard electronics. | The probe will have to endure temperatures of 1,400C and radiation that could frazzle the onboard electronics. |
| It's protected by a 11.5cm (4.5 inches) thick carbon-composite shield but the spacecraft's tactic is to get in and out fast. | It's protected by a 11.5cm (4.5 inches) thick carbon-composite shield but the spacecraft's tactic is to get in and out fast. |
| In fact, it will be moving faster than any human made object, hurtling at 430,000mph - the equivalent of flying from London to New York in less than 30 seconds. | In fact, it will be moving faster than any human made object, hurtling at 430,000mph - the equivalent of flying from London to New York in less than 30 seconds. |
| Dazzling cosmic displays on Earth are caused by the solar wind | Dazzling cosmic displays on Earth are caused by the solar wind |
| So why go to all this effort to "touch" the Sun? | So why go to all this effort to "touch" the Sun? |
| Scientists hope that as the spacecraft passes through our star's outer atmosphere - its corona - it will solve a long standing mystery. | Scientists hope that as the spacecraft passes through our star's outer atmosphere - its corona - it will solve a long standing mystery. |
| "The corona is really, really hot, and we have no idea why," explains Dr Jenifer MIllard, an astronomer at Fifth Star Labs. | "The corona is really, really hot, and we have no idea why," explains Dr Jenifer MIllard, an astronomer at Fifth Star Labs. |
| "The surface of the Sun is about 6,000C or so, but the corona, this tenuous outer atmosphere that you can see during solar eclipses, reaches millions of degrees - and that is further away from the Sun. So how is that atmosphere getting hotter?" | "The surface of the Sun is about 6,000C or so, but the corona, this tenuous outer atmosphere that you can see during solar eclipses, reaches millions of degrees - and that is further away from the Sun. So how is that atmosphere getting hotter?" |
| The mission should also help scientists to better understand solar wind - the constant stream of charged particles bursting out from the corona. | The mission should also help scientists to better understand solar wind - the constant stream of charged particles bursting out from the corona. |
| When these particles interact with the Earth's magnetic field the sky lights up with dazzling auroras. | When these particles interact with the Earth's magnetic field the sky lights up with dazzling auroras. |
| But this so called space weather can cause problems too, knocking out power-grids, electronics and communication systems. | But this so called space weather can cause problems too, knocking out power-grids, electronics and communication systems. |
| "Understanding the Sun, its activity, space weather, the solar wind, is so important to our everyday lives on Earth," says Dr Millard. | "Understanding the Sun, its activity, space weather, the solar wind, is so important to our everyday lives on Earth," says Dr Millard. |
| Scientists hope the probe will help us to solve some solar mysteries | Scientists hope the probe will help us to solve some solar mysteries |
| Nasa scientists face an anxious wait over Christmas while the spacecraft is out of touch with Earth. | Nasa scientists face an anxious wait over Christmas while the spacecraft is out of touch with Earth. |
| Nicola Fox says that as soon as a signal is beamed back home, the team will text her a green heart to let her know the probe is OK. | Nicola Fox says that as soon as a signal is beamed back home, the team will text her a green heart to let her know the probe is OK. |
| She admits she's nervous about the audacious attempt, but she has faith in the probe. | She admits she's nervous about the audacious attempt, but she has faith in the probe. |
| "I will worry about the spacecraft. But we really have designed it to withstand all of these brutal, brutal conditions. It's a tough, tough little spacecraft." | "I will worry about the spacecraft. But we really have designed it to withstand all of these brutal, brutal conditions. It's a tough, tough little spacecraft." |