Learn about our sun
The sun is a window into our universe! By studying the sun, we deepen our understanding of all the other stars you see in the sky & beyond…
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OUR NEAREST STAR
Learn more about the sun, the heliosphere, space weather, solar missions, eclipses, and related science.
Current Observations
The Sun as Seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) & the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Exciting Missions to the Sun…
Photo Credit: Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
Solar Orbiter
The spacecraft will orbit over the uncharted polar regions, and investigate the Sun-Earth connection.
Launched February 9, 2020 • 11:03 PM EST • ULA Atlas V
Led by the European Space Agency (ESA) with strong NASA support
Photo Credit: Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Parker Solar Probe
Humanity’s First Visit to a Star
Parker Solar Probe is a historic mission, flying into the Sun’s atmosphere (or corona) for the first time! It will have 24 orbits around the sun, traveling at a top speed of 430,000 mph—the fastest man-made object ever! It can also withstand temperatures outside the spacecraft that reach nearly 2,500°F (1,377°C)!