NASA: Voyager 1 exiting heliosphere

Cylinder · 18th June 2012, 01:23 PM

Data From NASA's Voyager 1 Point to Interstellar Future

Quote:

Data from NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft indicate that the venerable deep-space explorer has encountered a region in space where the intensity of charged particles from beyond our solar system has markedly increased. Voyager scientists looking at this rapid rise draw closer to an inevitable but historic conclusion – that humanity's first emissary to interstellar space is on the edge of our solar system.

"The laws of physics say that someday Voyager will become the first human-made object to enter interstellar space, but we still do not know exactly when that someday will be," said Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "The latest data indicate that we are clearly in a new region where things are changing more quickly. It is very exciting. We are approaching the solar system's frontier."

The data making the 16-hour-38 minute, 11.1-billion-mile (17.8-billion-kilometer), journey from Voyager 1 to antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network on Earth detail the number of charged particles measured by the two High Energy telescopes aboard the 34-year-old spacecraft. These energetic particles were generated when stars in our cosmic neighborhood went supernova.

Kirk: Evaluation, Mr. Spock.
Spock: Fascinating.

AdMan · 18th June 2012, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by Cylinder

[url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/voyager20120614.html]Data From NASA's Voyager 1 Point to Interstellar Future

Kirk: Evaluation, Mr. Spock.
Spock: Fascinating.

I'd be wary, though. Sometimes they come back.

Seriously, this is very cool. It's amazing this spacecraft is still working after 34 years in space.

NoahFence · 18th June 2012, 02:09 PM

http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/index.html

Voyager 1 is 17,987,682,000 KM away from Earth. And counting.

Fast.

TragicMonkey · 18th June 2012, 05:40 PM

It'd be hilarious if it turned out ancient aliens had visited earth after all, and agreed to leave us alone provided we never ventured outside our own solar system, and the minute Voyager does they'd swoop in with giant fleets of lizardships and raygun the planet to cinders!

Foster Zygote · 18th June 2012, 06:00 PM

Coooooool.

Redtail · 18th June 2012, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

It'd be hilarious if it turned out ancient aliens had visited earth after all, and agreed to leave us alone provided we never ventured outside our own solar system, and the minute Voyager does they'd swoop in with giant fleets of lizardships and raygun the planet to cinders!

I'd love it if the first photo of interstellar space it took showed the Yamato.

gerdbonk · 18th June 2012, 10:09 PM

Originally Posted by Redtail

I'd love it if the first photo of interstellar space it took showed the Yamato.

More likely a Starbucks.

Fishstick · 19th June 2012, 04:25 AM

Originally Posted by TragicMonkey

It'd be hilarious if it turned out ancient aliens had visited earth after all, and agreed to leave us alone provided we never ventured outside our own solar system, and the minute Voyager does they'd swoop in with giant fleets of lizardships and raygun the planet to cinders!

It's been done

aggle-rithm · 19th June 2012, 05:23 AM

I thought I heard something.

Sabretooth · 19th June 2012, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by NoahFence

http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/index.html

Voyager 1 is 17,987,682,000 KM away from Earth. And counting.

Fast.

KM's? What that?....like...36 miles or so?

Mark6 · 19th June 2012, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Redtail

I'd love it if the first photo of interstellar space it took showed the Yamato.

Unfotunately, Voyagers' cameras were turned off years ago, to save power.

Mark6 · 19th June 2012, 11:44 AM

Shouldn't this be in "Science, Mathematics..." subforum?

Cylinder · 19th June 2012, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Mark6

Shouldn't this be in "Science, Mathematics..." subforum?

I was thinking of it more as dealing with the current event than a general discussion of the science behind the mission. If it needs to be moved, though, that's no sweat.

gerdbonk · 21st June 2012, 01:48 PM

Well, latest news is that Voyager 1 has turned around and is heading back to Earth.

Just remembered it left the damn oven on.

18th June 2012, 01:23 PM	#1
Cylinder Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,829	NASA: Voyager 1 exiting heliosphere Data From NASA's Voyager 1 Point to Interstellar Future Quote: Data from NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft indicate that the venerable deep-space explorer has encountered a region in space where the intensity of charged particles from beyond our solar system has markedly increased. Voyager scientists looking at this rapid rise draw closer to an inevitable but historic conclusion – that humanity's first emissary to interstellar space is on the edge of our solar system. "The laws of physics say that someday Voyager will become the first human-made object to enter interstellar space, but we still do not know exactly when that someday will be," said Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. "The latest data indicate that we are clearly in a new region where things are changing more quickly. It is very exciting. We are approaching the solar system's frontier." The data making the 16-hour-38 minute, 11.1-billion-mile (17.8-billion-kilometer), journey from Voyager 1 to antennas of NASA's Deep Space Network on Earth detail the number of charged particles measured by the two High Energy telescopes aboard the 34-year-old spacecraft. These energetic particles were generated when stars in our cosmic neighborhood went supernova. Kirk: Evaluation, Mr. Spock. Spock: Fascinating.
	__________________ If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed ; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves. - Winston Churchill, The Gathering Storm Last edited by LashL; 19th June 2012 at 12:01 PM. Reason: Fixed link as requested.

18th June 2012, 01:57 PM	#2
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,157	Originally Posted by Cylinder [url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/voyager20120614.html]Data From NASA's Voyager 1 Point to Interstellar Future Kirk: Evaluation, Mr. Spock. Spock: Fascinating. I'd be wary, though. Sometimes they come back. Seriously, this is very cool. It's amazing this spacecraft is still working after 34 years in space.
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,157

18th June 2012, 02:09 PM	#3
NoahFence Psycho Kitty Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Patriot Nation Posts: 9,292	http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/index.html Voyager 1 is 17,987,682,000 KM away from Earth. And counting. Fast.
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18th June 2012, 05:40 PM	#4
TragicMonkey Poisoned Waffles Pither Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Monkey Posts: 30,052	It'd be hilarious if it turned out ancient aliens had visited earth after all, and agreed to leave us alone provided we never ventured outside our own solar system, and the minute Voyager does they'd swoop in with giant fleets of lizardships and raygun the planet to cinders!
	__________________ One cannot expect wisdom to flow from a pumpkin.

18th June 2012, 06:00 PM	#5
Foster Zygote Dental Floss Tycoon Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge Posts: 14,378	Coooooool.
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18th June 2012, 09:41 PM	#6
Redtail Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 9,302	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey It'd be hilarious if it turned out ancient aliens had visited earth after all, and agreed to leave us alone provided we never ventured outside our own solar system, and the minute Voyager does they'd swoop in with giant fleets of lizardships and raygun the planet to cinders! I'd love it if the first photo of interstellar space it took showed the Yamato.
Redtail Philosopher Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 9,302	__________________ AVENGERS!!!.. Turn off the dark!

18th June 2012, 10:09 PM	#7
gerdbonk Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula Posts: 3,087	Originally Posted by Redtail I'd love it if the first photo of interstellar space it took showed the Yamato. More likely a Starbucks.
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19th June 2012, 04:25 AM	#8
Fishstick Graduate Poster Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,301	Originally Posted by TragicMonkey It'd be hilarious if it turned out ancient aliens had visited earth after all, and agreed to leave us alone provided we never ventured outside our own solar system, and the minute Voyager does they'd swoop in with giant fleets of lizardships and raygun the planet to cinders! It's been done

19th June 2012, 05:23 AM	#9
aggle-rithm Ardent Formulist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 14,149	I thought I heard something.
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19th June 2012, 09:53 AM	#10
Sabretooth No Ordinary Rabbit Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Wyoming, NY Posts: 6,149	Originally Posted by NoahFence http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/index.html Voyager 1 is 17,987,682,000 KM away from Earth. And counting. Fast. KM's? What that?....like...36 miles or so?
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19th June 2012, 10:18 AM	#11
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,171	Originally Posted by Redtail I'd love it if the first photo of interstellar space it took showed the Yamato. Unfotunately, Voyagers' cameras were turned off years ago, to save power.
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,171	__________________ Gamemaster: "A horde of rotting zombies is shambling toward you. The sign over the door says 'Accounting'"

19th June 2012, 11:44 AM	#12
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,171	Shouldn't this be in "Science, Mathematics..." subforum?
Mark6 Illuminator Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 4,171	__________________ Gamemaster: "A horde of rotting zombies is shambling toward you. The sign over the door says 'Accounting'"

19th June 2012, 01:07 PM	#13
Cylinder Illuminator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,829	Originally Posted by Mark6 Shouldn't this be in "Science, Mathematics..." subforum? I was thinking of it more as dealing with the current event than a general discussion of the science behind the mission. If it needs to be moved, though, that's no sweat.
	__________________ If you will not fight for the right when you can easily win without bloodshed ; if you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than live as slaves. - Winston Churchill, The Gathering Storm

21st June 2012, 01:48 PM	#14
gerdbonk Illuminator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles del Río de Porciúncula Posts: 3,087	Well, latest news is that Voyager 1 has turned around and is heading back to Earth. Just remembered it left the damn oven on.
	__________________ You fools! I'm savoirferret! My ancient and apparently abandoned comic strip blog is Unbolded Did you say Photos of TAM 9?