Sentinel Digital Desk
NASA's Parker Solar Probe made history by approaching the Sun at its closest point on Christmas Eve.
According to Space.com, on December 24 at 6:40 a.m. Eastern time, the spacecraft flew just 3.8 million miles from the Sun's surface, breaking its own record and coming more than seven times closer than any previous mission.
During the flyby, the probe reached an incredible speed of 430,000 miles per hour, making it the fastest man-made object ever.
Launched in 2018, Parker has already completed 21 solar flybys, each time getting closer to the Sun.
However, this mission will take it deeper into the Sun's corona, its outermost atmosphere, where temperatures can reach 1,400°C and radiation is intense. The spacecraft's instruments are protected by a carbon-composite shield.