Abu dhabi: NASA on Thursday released images captured by a probe within the Sun's atmosphere.

According to Emirates News Agency, NASA's Parker Solar Probe started its closest approach to the Sun on 24th December, getting as close as 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) to the solar surface, the space agency said.

NASA reported that the images were "taken closer to the Sun than we've ever been before," revealing features in the corona and solar wind. The solar wind is a constant stream of electrically charged particles from the star that traverses the solar system at speeds exceeding 1 million miles an hour.

The Parker Solar Probe, roughly the size of a small car, was launched in 2018 and made history in 2021 by becoming the first spacecraft to enter the Sun's atmosphere.

"Parker Solar Probe has once again transported us into the dynamic atmosphere of our closest star," said NASA's Nicky Fox. "This new data will help us vastly improve our space weather predictions to ensure the safety of our astronauts and the protection of our technology here on Earth and throughout the solar system."