NASA's Parker Solar Probe is expected to make a fiery dive close to the solar surface on the morning of Christmas Eve.

The daring NASA spacecraft made its closest-ever approach to the sun at 6:53 a.m. EST (1153 GMT) on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24).

NASA's pioneering Parker Solar Probe made history Tuesday, flying closer to the sun than any other spacecraft, with its heat shield exposed to scorching temperatures topping 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit (930 degrees Celsius).

Nasa is flying the fastest human-made object ever made closer to the Sun than anything has ever been before. The space agency hopes that the Parker Solar Probe can get to the heart of many of the mysteries of the Sun, including what powers the violent processes that keep us alive on Earth.

Hurtling around the sun at approximately 430,000 mph, the uncrewed vehicle is expected to come within 3.8 million miles of the sun.

The concept of touching the Sun can be traced back to the ancient Greek myth of Icarus, but scientists at NASA have turned that idea into a reality. On Dec. 24th, their Parker Solar Probe managed to travel to just within 3.

At 3.8 million miles from the Sun's surface, Parker Solar Probe will be the closest a human-made object's ever been to our host star.

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe made a historic attempt to circle the sun at 6:53 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Christmas Eve, which, if successful, would be the closest-ever attempt to do so. The agency will remain out of contact with the spacecraft until Friday,

Nasa scientists and fellow space watchers face a tantalising wait over the Christmas period while the Parker probe continues its unprecedented circuit around the outer rim of the sun.

The ambient light at the lunar South Pole will severely impact astronauts' ability to perceive hazards and perform tasks effectively.

To get so close, the Parker Solar Probe had to withstand the sun's extreme heat and radiation like no spacecraft before it.