Nasa's Parker probe sets off on quest for closeup view of the sun
by Associated Press from on (#3WNCK)
Probe launches after technical delay, on mission to get nearer to sun than anything sent before
A Nasa spacecraft is rocketing towards the sun on a quest to get closer to our star than anything ever sent before.
The Parker solar probe will fly straight through the wispy edges of the corona, or outer solar atmosphere, which was visible during last August's total solar eclipse. It eventually will get within 3.8m miles (6.1m km) of the sun's surface, staying comfortably cool despite the extreme heat and radiation, allowing scientists to explore the sun in a way never before possible.
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