NEW YORK (AP) — NASA's Parker Solar Probe has successfully made the closest approach to the sun, the space agency confirmed Friday.
Earlier this week, the spacecraft passed within a record-breaking 3.8 million miles (6 million kilometers) of the scorching star. NASA received an all-clear message from Parker on Thursday night confirming it survived the journey.
Launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun, Parker has since flown straight through its crownlike outer atmosphere, or corona. With its close brush complete, the craft is expected to circle the sun at this distance through at least September.
It’s the fastest spacecraft built by humans, and hit 430,000 mph (690,000 kph) at closest approach. It is outfitted with a heat shield that can withstand scorching temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius).
Scientists hope the data from Parker will help them better understand why the sun's outer atmosphere is hundreds of times hotter than its surface and what drives the solar wind, the supersonic stream of charged particles constantly blasting away from the sun.
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FILE - This image made available by NASA shows an artist's rendering of the Parker Solar Probe approaching the Sun. It's designed to take solar punishment like never before, thanks to its revolutionary heat shield that's capable of withstanding 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,370 degrees Celsius). (Steve Gribben/Johns Hopkins APL/NASA via AP, File)
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic and Dallas forwards Naji Marshall and P.J Washington were ejected following a brief fight between the players during the Mavericks' 98-89 victory over the Suns on Friday night.
Nurkic was called for an offensive foul while being guarded by Daniel Gafford with 9:02 left in the third quarter before the altercation quickly escalated. Nurkic confronted Marshall before taking an open-handed swing at his head and then Marshall responded with a punch. Washington quickly shoved Nurkic to the ground before the teams were separated.
“Just protecting each other — that’s what that was,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “Emotions can get high, so our guys protect one another. We talk about it and it was displayed tonight.”
Mavs guard Kyrie Irving agreed with his coach.
“Maybe that's just the way we end 2024, where somebody actually swings in the NBA," Irving said, joking with reporters. “Maybe that will help our ratings.”
The referees reviewed the play before deciding that all three players would be ejected.
“I think that level of altercation is not good for our team, it's not good for anybody individually, it's not good for our league," Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said. “I don't know all the details of what got it to that point."
The Mavs were already short-handed after losing star Luka Doncic to a calf injury on Christmas Day. Doncic is expected to miss about a month.
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Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall, left, and Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic have to be separated after fighting during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Phoenix. Dallas won 98-89. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
