Parker Solar Probe Nails 19th Up-Close Sun Encounter

Experience the thrill of NASA’s Parker Solar Probe as it completes its 19th close encounter with the Sun, setting records and providing crucial insights into our star’s mysteries. Get the latest updates on its incredible journey now!

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NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has just completed its 19th journey up close to the Sun, getting as close as 4.51 million miles (7.26 million kilometers) from its fiery surface. That’s super close, matching the probe’s own record for the nearest any human-made object has ever gotten to the Sun.

This daring approach happened precisely at 2:21 UTC (10:21 EDT) on March 29, as the Parker Solar Probe zoomed along at a mind-boggling speed of 394,736 miles per hour (635,266 kilometers per hour) – just like its last speedy feat. After this heart-racing encounter, the spacecraft checked in with us back on Earth on April 2, according to NASA’s report on Sunday.

This 19th close-up adventure lasted from March 25 to April 4, marking a major milestone in the mission – it’s officially halfway around the Sun now!

Looking ahead, on December 24, after its last swing past Venus on November 6, the Parker Solar Probe plans to outdo itself again, edging even closer to the Sun at just 3.8 million miles away. It’ll be zooming along at around 430,000 miles per hour. This next move is expected to give us an even clearer picture of what the Sun’s made of, its magnetic fields, and what causes the solar wind – that stream of charged particles that can mess with tech both on Earth and in space.

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