NASA’s Parker Solar Probe captured a stunning photo of Venus during its flyby en route to the Sun\u2014but there’s something in it that has scientists excited.<\/b>
\nNASA\u2019s Parker Solar Probe got the souvenir of a lifetime during its trip to study the Sun last year. The probe snapped this stunning photo of Venus on July 11, 2020, according to NASA. The photo showcases amazing details of the Venusian surface from 7,693 miles away\u2014but one particular detail in it, released by NASA this week, has scientists excited. The probe used its onboard Wide-field Imager (WISPR) to capture the photo. Though the instrument was designed to capture images of the sun\u2019s corona, NASA was also able to use it to capture thermal information about the planet\u2014something they didn\u2019t know the instrument could do. \u201cWISPR is tailored and tested for visible light observations,\u201d explains Angelos Vourlidas, WISPR project scientist from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory. \u201cWe expected to see clouds, but the camera peered right through the surface.\u201d In the center of the planet, you can see a dark area identified as Aphrodite Terra, which is the largest highland area on Venus. The reason it\u2019s darker is because it\u2019s 85 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the surrounding area. That indicates that WISPR is able to capture thermal data along with light data. \u201cEither way, some exciting science opportunities await us,\u201d Vourlidas adds. Though the probe\u2019s photo was a welcome surprise to researchers, Parker\u2019s actual goal is to study the Sun. That\u2019s why it\u2019s speeding by Venus for a gravity assist seven times, as part of its seven-year mission. The above photo was taken during its third fly-by of the planet. The probe more recently passed by Venus on February 20 on its next approach to the Sun. Maybe a year from now we\u2019ll get another mind-blowing photo of the Venusian surface. For now, we\u2019ll just have to settle for all the insane images from Mars Perseverance in the meantime. READ MORE: Parker Solar Probe Offers Stunning View of Venus [NASA] More on Venus: MIT Scientists Suggest LIfe Could Thrive in the Clouds of Venus<\/p>\n