On January 24, 2025, NASA's Parker Solar Probe achieved a significant milestone by 'touching the Sun,' capturing the sound of solar flares during its closest approach to the solar corona. Launched in 2018, the probe has been instrumental in monitoring the Sun's outer atmosphere, providing critical data about solar activity.
The probe's closest flyby occurred on Christmas Eve 2024, when it passed through the outer corona at a distance of approximately 3.8 million miles from the Sun's surface. Despite this distance, the probe's carbon foam shield, capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1,425 degrees Celsius, faced challenges due to the Sun's extreme heat, which reaches around 5,600 degrees Celsius.
Traveling at a speed of 430,000 miles per hour, the Parker Solar Probe holds the record as the fastest human-made object. Nicky Fox, the head of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, emphasized the importance of this mission in understanding the Sun's influence on our solar system and its implications for technology on Earth.
During its recent flybys, the probe has collected data that aids scientists in understanding the heating mechanisms of the solar corona and tracing the origins of the solar wind. The captured sounds of solar winds have sparked a mix of curiosity and fear among listeners, with many describing the eerie quality of the noise.
The Parker Solar Probe is scheduled for additional close solar passes on March 22 and June 19, 2025, where further data collection will continue to enhance our understanding of solar phenomena.