WASHINGTON - The United States (US) space agency Nasa on Thursday released the closest images captured by a probe within the Sun's atmosphere, reported German Press Agency (dpa).
Nasa's Parker Solar Probe started its closest approach to the Sun on December 24, getting as close as 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometres) to the solar surface, the space agency said.
Nasa said the images were "taken closer to the Sun than we've ever been before," and showed features in the corona and solar wind - a constant stream of electrically charged particles from the star that rage across the solar system at speeds exceeding one million miles (1.6 million kilometres) an hour.
The Parker Solar Probe, about the size of a small car and launched in 2018 and 2021, became the first spacecraft to enter the Sun's atmosphere.
"Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star," said Nasa's Nicky Fox.
"We are witnessing where space weather threats to Earth begin, with our eyes, not just with models. This new data will help us vastly improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system." - BERNAMA-dpa