The Parker Solar probe first passed through the Sun’s outer layer known as the corona on April 28, 2021, collecting particles and measuring the Sun’s magnetic field, according to NASA. The announcement for this was recently published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

The probe’s “touch” to the Sun represents a huge step forward in solar science. “This milestone not only gives us new insights into the evolution of the Sun, but also expands our knowledge of other stars in the universe,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA project manager.

The Sun is not a solid ball floating through space, but rather a densely packed “soup” of plasma with a thin outer layer resembling an atmosphere known as the corona. . However, if matter erupts above a certain velocity, then they can escape the Sun’s gravitational field and move through space.

The Parker Solar probe has been orbiting the Sun in an increasingly narrow spiral orbit since it was launched in 2018. Finally, it managed to get into the corona layer. His first pass took only a few hours, but his next passes will be more numerous and longer.