A true Christmas miracle: scientists will "touch" the Sun within the next 24 hours.

On the eve of Christmas, NASA scientists will fulfill their long-held dream of "touching" the Sun. It is expected that the “Parker” probe will achieve this feat on December 24.

Details of the mission were shared by the Parker Solar Probe team in comments to the publication Space. The spacecraft was launched on August 12, 2018, and within three years, it managed to pass through the Sun's corona at a distance of approximately 10.5 million kilometers.

The “Parker” has not only become the first probe to approach the star so closely but has also set speed records. Currently, its speed is 635,266 kilometers per hour, making it the fastest man-made object in history.

However, on December 24, around 1:40 PM Kyiv time, it will be able to come within 6.1 million kilometers and by that time will accelerate to 690,000 km/h.

"What the Parker Solar Probe is about to do on Christmas Eve this year is truly unprecedented. We have dreamed of this moment for over 16 years," said mission scientist Nur Rahouafi.

He also noted that this will likely be the probe's limit. It might have been possible to get even closer, but it is unlikely that its thermal shield could withstand the immense temperatures.

There is also a nuance in this mission—during its approach, the probe will lose contact with Earth and, if all goes well, will only re-establish contact on December 27. There is a possibility that the spacecraft could explode or completely lose contact with home, but scientists are doubtful about such an outcome. They state that the “Parker” has already made 21 orbits around the Sun and has consistently demonstrated extraordinary resilience.

"The system is mostly behaving as if we launched it yesterday. It is functioning very well," Rahouafi said.

Currently, the probe is on a relatively stable orbit and has enough fuel to theoretically remain there for another hundred years. However, if scientists wish to return it, they potentially have a window in 2032 to direct it towards Venus. Nevertheless, they are still unsure why this might be necessary.

As previously reported, a mysterious spot was discovered on Saturn's moon Enceladus, which has intrigued the scientific community.