Nasa’s Parker solar probe attempts closest ever pass of sun

The spaceship is on a seven-year mission to deepen scientific understanding of the sun and help forecast space weather events. Photograph: Steve Gribben/AP

Nasa’s Parker solar probe is attempting its closest ever flyby of the sun, passing 3.8m miles from its surface on Christmas Eve.

The spacecraft was scheduled to make the record-breaking approach, known as a perihelion, at 6.53am US eastern time (11.53 GMT).