How do I kill the solar pillar?

I'm a mage character in Terraria and I just beat the lunatic cultist. My base is set up right behind the dungeon and I have to go through the solar pillar to get anywhere else. The second I go there I die.

I have spectre armor with a hood and my weapons are the Laser Machinegun, Golden Shower, Crystal Storm, Magnet Sphere, Staff of Earth, Ice Rod, and the Nimbus Rod.

How can I beat the Solar Pillar?

The solar pillar is a primarily melee-based zone, where flight and jumping is severely punished. The crawltipedes are passive until you're airborne, in which they attack and kill you in just a few hits.

Slowly approach the pillar, let an enemy or two spawn, then retreat to ground outside the pillar. Defeat the enemy, and repeat. Eventually you'll learn the attack patterns of each enemy, and will be able to be more efficient at beating them. Banners will also help once you get them.

Once you have defeated enough enemies, you can use long-ranged weaponry to destroy the pillar.