What are some discoveries made by Voyager 1 and 2?

What are some discoveries made by Voyager 1 and 2?

Between them, Voyager 1 and 2 explored all the giant planets of our outer solar system, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune; 48 of their moons; and the unique system of rings and magnetic fields those planets possess. Closest approach to Jupiter occurred on March 5, 1979 for Voyager 1; July 9, 1979 for Voyager 2.

Is Voyager 1 still collecting data?

Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, identical in every detail, were launched within 15 days of each other in the summer of 1977. After nearly 45 years in space, they are still functioning, sending data back to Earth every day from beyond the solar system’s most distant known planets.

What information does Voyager 1 send back?

The Voyager spacecraft revealed the enormous amount of detail in the rings of Saturn, discovered the rings of Jupiter and provided the first detailed images of the rings of Uranus and Neptune. Voyager imaged Earth’s moon and discovered twenty-three new moons at the outer planets.

Do we still get images from Voyager 1?

Though the probes are no longer sending pictures, they haven’t stopped sending crucial information about space. In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made instrument to cross into interstellar space by passing the heliopause, the boundary between our solar system and the rest of the universe.

Do we still get messages from Voyager 1?

For the most part, Voyager 1 still appears to be working correctly, gathering and returning science data. It’s receiving and executing commands from Earth, although – because of its great distance from us – it takes about two days to send a message and get a response.

What was the last image from Voyager 1?

Earth was one of the last things Voyager 1 saw. The probe took the Pale Blue Dot photo at 0448 GMT on Feb. 14, 1990, just 34 minutes before its cameras were shut off forever. (The very last photos Voyager 1 took, however, were of the sun, Hansen said.)

Will we ever leave our galaxy?

The technology required to travel between galaxies is far beyond humanity’s present capabilities, and currently only the subject of speculation, hypothesis, and science fiction. However, theoretically speaking, there is nothing to conclusively indicate that intergalactic travel is impossible.

How far can Voyager 1 go before we lose contact?

For example, the Voyager 1 spacecraft is a little over 2×10^(10) km, or 130 astronomical units, from the Earth and we still receive signals from it. Eventually we will lose contact with Voyager 1 when its instruments run out of energy to send signals to Earth.

Can Voyager 1 come back?

Nope. They have small amounts of hydrazine fuel left and have no possible way to slow down and head back. They are traveling very fast (Voyager 1 is at 38,088 mph or 17.027 km/s relative to the sun) and have very little ability to change speed now.

How does Voyager 1 still have fuel?

They rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTG) for their energy. Each of the Voyager probes has three RTGs, and they use plutonium 238 for their fuel source. As that isotope decays, it produces heat which is converted to electrical energy.

Has Voyager 1 stopped working?

NASA has resolved the problem with Voyager 1’s incorrect data. Share: NASA has announced that Voyager 1’s telemetry problem has been fixed. Engineers managed to restore its AACS orientation control system to normal operation, after which it began sending correct data to Earth.

What mysterious data is Voyager 1 sending back?

During this long voyage, it has sent back incredible images of some of the outer planets of our solar system.

Is Voyager still powered on?

Voyager 1’s extended mission is expected to continue until about 2025, when its radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) will no longer supply enough electric power to operate its scientific instruments.

What would the Sun look like from Voyager 1?

The brightness of the Sun at the Voyager 1 and 2 space probes is about 6 lux and 9 lux, respectively. So if you were sitting on one of the Voyager space probes, the Sun itself would appear to be roughly as bright as a point on the sky at twilight.

What has Voyager 2 discovered?

Origins of the Voyager spacecraft Voyager 2 was one of two explorers launched by NASA back in the summer of 1977. The other was Voyager 1. Both spacecraft were first designed to carry out fly-by studies of Jupiter and Saturn. Later, Voyager 2 completed the first-ever close observations of Uranus and Neptune.

What did Voyager 1 and 2 discover at the edge of the solar system?

What are Voyager 1 and 2 doing now?

The two probes made flybys of Jupiter and Saturn in the 1970s. Today they’re still doing science way out beyond our solar system.

What was launched first Voyager 1 or 2?

From the NASA Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, Voyager 2 was launched first, on August 20, 1977; Voyager 1 was launched on a faster, shorter trajectory on September 5, 1977. Both spacecraft were delivered to space aboard Titan-Centaur expendable rockets.