Parker Solar Probe reveals dazzling image of Venus
During a flyby, the NASA spacecraft surprised scientists with an image of the Venusian surface.
Image of the comet NEOWISE by WISPR. Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Naval Research Lab/Parker Solar Probe/Guillermo Stenborg
Launched in 2018, the Parker Solar Probe is a NASA mission focused on observing the Sun’s corona, zooming closer and closer to our star. The spacecraft is currently the closest object to the sun made by humans and it’s already shown us the highest resolution image of the sun, revealing insights such as the stunning solar ‘campfires‘.
On February 20, 2021, the probe did its fourth close flyby of Venus, getting a gravity assist from the planet to continue its study of the sun. Four days after the flyby, NASA shared a gorgeous image of Venus from an exciting and mysterious flyby that took place in July 2020.
As NASA notes in its announcement, the Parker Solar Probe is focused on studying our star, but Venus is playing an important role in its lifecycle. Over the course of its seven-year mission, Parker will make seven flybys, taking advantage of Venus gravity to guide the probe s orbit. Though it s focused on the sun and studying solar winds, Parker s Wide-field Imager (WISPR) is capturing impressive images of the inner solar system along the way.
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NASA expected its Parker Solar Probe to reveal new insights into the sun the craft literally has solar in its name.
What it didn t expect was for Parker to snap a picture of the surface of Venus that may change what we thought we knew about the planet or possibly the probe itself.
Parker s Partner
The Parker Solar Probe launched in 2018 with the ambitious mission of getting closer to the sun than any craft before it. From that unprecedented vantage point, it could collect data that would expand our understanding of the star and its impact on Earth.
Parker Solar Probe pulls back the veil on Venus s night side – Spaceflight Now spaceflightnow.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from spaceflightnow.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
This new photo of Venus surprised NASA scientists
Laura Furr Mericas
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A new view of Venus is blowing minds.SCIEPRO/Getty Images/Science Photo LibraShow MoreShow Less
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A photo of Venus as seen by NASA’s Parker Solar Probe during a July 2020 flyby.NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Naval Research Laboratory/Guillermo Stenborg and Brendan GallagherShow MoreShow Less
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There are many things that freak me out about space. But the thing that scares me the most is just how little we know about it.
And news this week out of NASA only solidifies my stance.
✨ Take off to the planet. Venus.