Astronomy Picture of the Day

                         Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! [1] Each day a different image or photograph of our
 fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a
                           professional astronomer.

                                2018 August 15
                                      [2]
                      Launch of the Parker Solar Probe
                   Image Credit & Copyright: John Kraus [3]

Explanation: When is the best time to launch [4]  a probe to the Sun? The now
historic answer -- which is not a joke [5]  because this really happened this
past weekend -- was at night. Night, not only because NASA's Parker Solar
Probe [6] 's (PSP) launch window [7]  to its planned orbit [8]  occurred, in
part, at night, but also because most PSP instruments [9]  will operate in the
shadow [10]  of its shield -- in effect creating its own perpetual night near
the Sun [11] . Before then, years will pass as the PSP [12] sheds enough
orbital energy [13]  to approach the Sun [14] , swinging past Venus [15]
seven times. Eventually, the PSP [16] is scheduled to pass dangerously close
to the Sun, within 9 solar radii, the closest ever. This close, the
temperature [17] will be 1,400 degrees Celsius [18] on the day side of the
PSP's Sun shield [19] -- hot enough to melt many forms of glass [20] . On the
night side, though, it will be near room temperature [21] . A major goal [22]
of the PSP's mission to the Sun is to increase humanity's understanding of the
Sun's explosions [23]  that impact Earth's satellites [24]  and power grids
[25] . Pictured is the night launch [26]  of the PSP aboard the United Launch
Alliances [27] ' Delta IV Heavy [28]  rocket early Sunday morning.

                      Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space

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    Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff [40] (MTU [41] ) & Jerry Bonnell [42]
                                  (UMCP [43] )
          NASA Official:  Phillip Newman Specific rights apply [44] .
              NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices [45]
              A service of: ASD [46]  at NASA [47]  / GSFC [48]
                           & Michigan Tech. U. [49]
----------
Site notes:
  [1] archivepix.html
  [2] image/1808/SolarProbeLaunch_Kraus_2048.jpg
  [3] https://www.johnkrausphotos.com/
  [4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d8raqfq6oQ
  [5] https://books.google.com/books?id=74g-DwAAQBA...
  [6] http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/The-Missio...
  [7]
https://blogs.nasa.gov/parkersolarprobe/2018/...
  [8]
http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/The-Missio...
16-00815_MissionDesign.png
  [9] http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/Spacecraft...
  [10] ap110102.html
  [11] https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/sun...
  [12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_z19KPvV1w
  [13] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvKvX-niMLA
  [14] http://solar-center.stanford.edu/interview/ne...
  [15] ap160607.html
  [16] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Solar_Pr...
  [17] http://allmeasures.com/temperature.html
  [18] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celsius
  [19] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT9laVHZZQo
  [20] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxHl9Ms9HOo
  [21]
http://mscouponista.com/wp-content/uploads/20...
Pancho-Cooling-Off-300x225.jpg
  [22]
http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/The-Missio...
  [23] ap031029.html
  [24]
https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Scie...
How_the_Sun_affects_us_on_Earth
  [25]
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011...
110302-solar-flares-sun-storms-earth-danger-carrington-event-science/
  [26] https://www.flickr.com/photos/ulalaunch/album...
  [27] https://www.ulalaunch.com/
  [28] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_IV_Heavy
  [29] ap180814.html
  [30] archivepix.html
  [31] lib/apsubmit2015.html
  [32] lib/aptree.html
  [33] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apo...
  [34] calendar/allyears.html
  [35] /apod.rss
  [36] lib/edlinks.html
  [37] lib/about_apod.html
  [38] http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?dat...
  [39] ap180816.html
  [40] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  [41] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  [42] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnel...
  [43] http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  [44] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [45] https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Priv...
  [46] https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  [47] https://www.nasa.gov/
  [48] https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  [49] http://www.mtu.edu/

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