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Nasa's Voyager 2 Probe 'Leaves the Solar System' (bbc.co.uk)
The Voyager 2 probe, which left Earth in 1977, has become the second human-made object to leave our Solar System. From a report: It was launched 16 days before its twin craft, Voyager 1, but that probe's faster trajectory meant that it was in "the space between the stars" six years before Voyager 2. The news was revealed at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in Washington. And chief scientist on the mission, Prof Edward Stone, confirmed it.
He said both probes had now "made it into interstellar space" and that Voyager 2's date of departure from the Solar System was 5 November 2018. On that date, the steady stream of particles emitted from the Sun that were being detected by the probe suddenly dipped. This indicated that it had crossed the "heliopause" -- the term for the outer edge of the Sun's protective bubble of particles and magnetic field. And while its twin craft beat it to this boundary, the US space agency says that Voyager 2 has a working instrument aboard that will provide "first-of-its-kind observations of the nature of this gateway into interstellar space".
He said both probes had now "made it into interstellar space" and that Voyager 2's date of departure from the Solar System was 5 November 2018. On that date, the steady stream of particles emitted from the Sun that were being detected by the probe suddenly dipped. This indicated that it had crossed the "heliopause" -- the term for the outer edge of the Sun's protective bubble of particles and magnetic field. And while its twin craft beat it to this boundary, the US space agency says that Voyager 2 has a working instrument aboard that will provide "first-of-its-kind observations of the nature of this gateway into interstellar space".
This really is an amazing thing. And I mean that in the truest sense, not in an OMG-this-pumpkin-spice-frappachino-is-amazing kind of way. Sadly, I am guessing most people won't even read this story because it's not trash news.
I really liked this from the article: "Voyager 1 will not approach another star for nearly 40,000 years, even though it is moving at such great speed. "
It's fascinating and hard to comprehend.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
The fastest man made object will be the modern Parker probe at 430,000 mph. That is 0.0006% the speed of light. To get to Alpha Centauri it would take 6810 years. There is no point trying to go to Alpha Centauri. Nothing would make the trip.