In order to unlock the mysteries of the corona, but also to protect a society that is increasingly dependent on technology from the threats of space weather, NASA sent the the first space mission to touch the Sun, the Parker Solar Probe.
The namesake of the mission, Heliophysicist Eugene N. Parker, predicted both the solar wind, and space weather that could affect the Earth as well as astronauts and satellites in space in 1958. His initial work was rejected for publication because no one believed in a solar wind which Parker had predicted from basic principles of physics. But his hypothesis was vindicated when the Mariner 2 spacecraft detected solar wind particles in space in 1962.
Sadly Dr. Parker passed away on March 15th of this year, but he was in his lifetime able to see the spacecraft launch and to see data coming from its instruments.
Learn more about the Parker Solar Probe and Eugene Parker on this 38th episode of How Do You KNOW?
https://explorescientificusa.com/pages/explore-alliance-presents-how-do-you-know-with-dr-daniel-barth
The activities and materials provided free for the How Do You Know? program are based upon Dr. Barth’s award-winning book: . This book is used as a resource in more than 5,700 schools across the United States and in more than 50 countries world-wide. Published as an Open Educational Resource Text, it is made available from the University of Arkansas Library Press.
https://explorescientificusa.com/pages/explore-alliance-presents-how-do-you-know-with-dr-daniel-barth
The activities and materials provided free for the How Do You Know? program are based upon Dr. Barth’s award-winning book: . This book is used as a resource in more than 5,700 schools across the United States and in more than 50 countries world-wide. Published as an Open Educational Resource Text, it is made available from the University of Arkansas Library Press.
#howdoyouknow38 #parkersolarprobe #science #stem #astronomy #explorealliance #explorescientific
