Voyager 1 Passes 100 AU from the Sun

An anonymous reader writes "Yesterday, Voyager 1 passed 100 astronomical units from the sun as it continues operating after nearly 30 years in space. That is about 15 billion kilometers or 9.3 billion miles as it travels about 1 million miles per day. Scientists still hope it will find the edge of the solar system and get into interstellar space."

Comments

Poor V-ger

[Recovering Hater]

I wonder how long until it comes back carrying half the solar system with it looking for it's maker?

Re:Poor V-ger

[__aaclcg7560]

According to the movie, about another 200 years. Meanwhile, aliens with pointy years will be dropping by in another 50 years to find a restroom.

Re:Poor V-ger

[Pharmboy]

I wonder how long until it comes back carrying half the solar system with it looking for it's maker?

Or gets to the end where the gorilla throws barrels at you.

Remember "The Truman Show"?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah.

um...

[XanC]

While your post was nice, I wouldn't describe it as a "great blog post". Or did you miss a link? :-)

Re:Can we still ping it?

[Ex Machina]

100 Astronomical Units = 831.675359 light minutes

I think that exceeds the maximum RTT for TCP.

Batteries not included......

[SQLGuru]

The Voyagers owe their longevity to their nuclear power sources, called radioisotope thermoelectric generators, provided by the Department of Energy

30 years without changing the batteries *AND* 30 years without exploding. Can I get one of those?

Layne

Re:Can we still ping it?

[jafiwam]

I wish that "vger6" guy would stop logging onto the same CS server I am on.

Really throws the game when he gets all choppy and stuff....

Re:Can we still ping it?

[wiggles]

Heh... You must work for NASA :)

Re:Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators

[russ1337]

generate a few hundred watts or less, and seem to get hot

they use them in Macbooks and Dell computers - and a whole bunch of them just go recalled.

Re:Can we still ping it?

[BillEGoat]

Compare that to an MP3, which can be streamed that same distance in only half a day!

Yeah, but the RIAA'd be all up on your arse.

Re:Can we still ping it?

[russ1337]

It is because its heading toward a black hole.....but why has no-one seen it? I'll ask Holly. Holly, why has no one noticed that Voyager is heading into a black hole?

Holly: Well, the thing about a black hole - it's main distinguishing feature - is it's black. And the thing about space, the color of space, your basic space color - is it's black. So how are you supposed to see them?

Re:How does Voyager avoid crashing into Obstacles

[Svenne]

Space is big. Really big.

Will it ever find life?

[Jugalator]

I wonder if it'll ever find life, and what the scenario in that case would look like.

Maybe floating down from the skies with a note inside...
"Looks like you lost something, but jeez, it was hard to track you down with more planets than its schematic shows!"

Great

[ZakuSage]

Only one more AU until it passes 100 AU from Earth.

Re:Amazing

[tool462]

The irony being that it was meant to land on Mars, but they got the units wrong then too. *duck*

Re:Can we still ping it?

[Tiger4]

Heh... You must work for NASA :)

You insensitive clod! He did to work for NASA, but after the Mars incident he's been unemployed.

Voyager passes 100AU

[StikyPad]

breaking the previous record of 99.99999AU, also set by Voyager I... the day before.

Re:Can we still ping it?

[WindBourne]

ah heck. It is all relative.

Rodzilla!

[LouisZepher]

If I've ever learned anything from about radiation exposure from low-budget Japanese films, I think that the missus would be rather pleased...