NASA's Parker Solar Probe is designed to study the sun. However, on his way to the sun, Parker flew over Venus. During the close flight in July 2020, it took the opportunity to capture some impressive views of the planet.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is for studying the sun. However, on his way to the sun, Parker flew over Venus. During the close flight in July 2020, took the opportunity to capture some impressive views of the planet.

Although the purpose of the probe is to study the sun, Venus is crucial to the mission, as the Parker solar probe will orbit around Venus to obtain gravity assistance, allowing it to fly closer and closer to the sun to complete its main mission.

It has gained some unique and unexpected inner solar system landscapes during its approach to Venus. The photo below was taken during the third Venus Gravity Assisted Flight on July 11, 2020. The photo was taken using a Parker Solar Probe airborne wide-area imager called WISPR. The night view of Venus can be seen in the

photo, 7693 miles from Venus. WISPR is designed to capture images of the sun's corona and inner sunball in visible light. It is also intended to capture images of solar wind and its structures approaching and flying over the spacecraft. Images of Venus taken by the camera show that there is a bright layer at the edge of Venus, which may be luminous. Luminous light is light emitted by recombining oxygen atoms in the high atmosphere into molecules at night on planets. It appears dark in the image because it is about 85 degrees Fahrenheit lower than its surroundings. Scientists from the

mission team were surprised that WISPR could peek at the surface of Venus through the clouds around Venus. According to the mission team, the imaging system effectively captured thermal radiation on the surface of Venus. After obtaining this photo, the WISPR team went to the lab to measure the sensitivity of their instruments to infrared light . If the imaging system can see near-infrared wavelengths, this unexpected ability could provide new opportunities for studying dust around and inside the solar system. The

detector took more images of Venus during a flight on February 20, 2021. Scientists are expected to receive and process data from the observation by the end of April.