NASA's Parker Solar Probe achieved a record-breaking close flyby of the sun on December 24, 2024, reaching a distance of 3.8 million miles from the solar surface. Traveling at 430,000 mph, it captured unprecedented images of the sun's corona and solar winds using its WISPR imager. This data reveals details about the heliospheric current sheet, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and the origins of slow solar wind, providing crucial insights for understanding space weather and improving predictions to protect astronauts and Earth's technology.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.