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Credit & Copyright: John Kraus
Explanation:
When is the best time to
launch a probe to the Sun?
The now historic answer -- which is not
a joke
because this really happened this past weekend -- was at night.
Night, not only because NASA's
Parker Solar Probe's (PSP)
launch window to its
planned
orbit occurred, in part,
at night, but also because most
PSP instruments will operate in the
shadow of its shield --
in effect creating its own perpetual night near
the Sun.
Before then, years will pass as
the PSP
sheds enough
orbital energy to
approach the Sun, swinging past
Venus seven times.
Eventually, the
PSP
is scheduled to pass dangerously close to the Sun,
within 9 solar radii, the closest ever.
This close, the
temperature
will be 1,400 degrees
Celsius
on the day side of the
PSP's Sun shield
-- hot enough to
melt many forms of glass.
On the night side, though, it will be near
room
temperature.
A
major goal of the PSP's mission to the Sun
is to increase humanity's understanding of the
Sun's explosions that impact Earth's satellites and
power
grids.
Pictured is the
night launch of the PSP aboard the
United Launch Alliances'
Delta IV Heavy rocket early Sunday morning.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: launch - Sun
Publications with words: launch - Sun
See also:
- APOD: 2025 February 17 Á SpaceX Rocket Launch Plume over California
- APOD: 2025 January 5 Á Rocket Launch as Seen from the International Space Station
- APOD: 2024 September 2 Á A Triangular Prominence Hovers Over the Sun
- APOD: 2024 August 18 Á A Solar Prominence Eruption from SDO
- Sky Full of SARs
- APOD: 2024 August 4 Á Gaia: Here Comes the Sun
- APOD: 2024 July 28 Á Sun Dance