FWIS3

"Voyager has boldly gone where no probe has gone before, marking one of the most significant technological achievements in the annals of the history of science, and as it enters interstellar space, it adds a new chapter in human scientific dreams and endeavors," NASA science chief John Grunsfeld said in a statement. "Perhaps some future deep-space explorers will catch up with Voyager, our first interstellar envoy, and reflect on how this intrepid spacecraft helped enable their future."

Rommie wrote:Also, I spotted an AMA on Reddit from the Voyager 1 guys today! Worth a read for those interested link

I'm one of them-I started in 1970 in planning the Grand Tour, and then was selected as principal investigator for Mariner-Jupiter-Saturn-77 (MJS-77) that became Voyager. And, I'm still at it!!

Tom Krimigis

pumpkinpi wrote:No it hasnt . When it passes the Oort Cloud in 30,000 years it will have left the Solar System.

Parrothead wrote:

pumpkinpi wrote:No it hasnt . When it passes the Oort Cloud in 30,000 years it will have left the Solar System.

Damn these reporters!

Voyager 1 has left the heliosphere! (?)

Rommie does that scratchpad you posted include the latest or not?

But does this mean it has left the solar system? Well, no. That might seem odd since I just said it’s in interstellar space, but that’s only when you look at the Sun’s influence on the particles out there.

However, there’s more to our solar system’s far-flung suburbs than errant electrons and protons. Even out there, over 120 times farther from the Sun than the Earth’s orbit, there are more substantive objects: huge, frozen chunks of ice that are essentially giant comets. The Sun is surrounded by trillions of these iceballs, a countless swarm of them called the Oort Cloud. They take thousands of years to orbit the Sun even once, but enthralled to its gravity they are.

Sigma_Orionis wrote:Well with some luck we'll get some direct observations of the Oort cloud......

Swift wrote:

Sigma_Orionis wrote:Well with some luck we'll get some direct observations of the Oort cloud......

I doubt that, thought it depends on what you mean by "observation". None of the cameras are working any longer. The only operating instruments are for measuring particles and magnetic fields.

Sigma_Orionis wrote:

Swift wrote:

Sigma_Orionis wrote:Well with some luck we'll get some direct observations of the Oort cloud......

I doubt that, thought it depends on what you mean by "observation". None of the cameras are working any longer. The only operating instruments are for measuring particles and magnetic fields.

Yeah I know that the cameras are off. And apparently there isn't all that much light to show anything. But the other instruments COULD at least provide some info that could help conclude that the Oort Cloud exists (one can always hope....), because AFAIK it's still hypothetical.

Rommie wrote:I think what it really comes down to is like many things in astronomy there's no perfect definition for where the edge of the Solar System is, so by some people's definitions Voyager 1 has left. Sorta like how we get to still argue whether Pluto's a planet or not.

pumpkinpi wrote:

Sigma_Orionis wrote:

Swift wrote:

Sigma_Orionis wrote:Well with some luck we'll get some direct observations of the Oort cloud......

I doubt that, thought it depends on what you mean by "observation". None of the cameras are working any longer. The only operating instruments are for measuring particles and magnetic fields.

Yeah I know that the cameras are off. And apparently there isn't all that much light to show anything. But the other instruments COULD at least provide some info that could help conclude that the Oort Cloud exists (one can always hope....), because AFAIK it's still hypothetical.

THAT would be one hell of an accomplishment, if the instruments were still working 30,000 years from now!