I dare anyone try to tell me this isn't COOL....

[Corruptbuddha]

... http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/03/voyager-probes-key-transition-remains-mysterious/

On it's way to parts unknown.

My God...are there any limits to man's ingenuity?

 

[Jen]

VERRRRY COOL.

I love stuff like that.

But then, I'm a Trekkie.

 

[Bo-4]

Cool stuff, but a few of your lessors (you know, the 5,000 year old Earth kids) will accuse you of believing in science and an actual universe.

Advanced warning.. you can thank me later.

 

[Corruptbuddha]

Can you point to me anyone who doesn't believe in the universe?

Anyone at all?

That way I can buy them a set of soup floaties.

 

[BrianDamage]

... http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/03/voyager-probes-key-transition-remains-mysterious/

On it's way to parts unknown.

My God...are there any limits to man's ingenuity?

View attachment 5720

Very cool, indeed.

 

[LeRoy_Was_Here]

Yes, the word 'cool' applies here, but it is also tinged with sadness, as they note at the end of your link:

This article was conceived by our Voyager colleague, Frank McDonald, who is no longer with us. Frank, we have been working together for over 55 years to reach the goal of actually observing the interstellar spectra of cosmic rays, possibly now achieved almost on the day of your passing. You wanted so badly to be able to finish this article that you had already started. Together we did it. Bon Voyage!

LeRoy: In just a bit more than two years from now, the New Horizons probe will reach the vicinity of Pluto and its assortment of moons, with a few of them just recently discovered....

 

[LeRoy_Was_Here]

Can you point to me anyone who doesn't believe in the universe?

Anyone at all?

That way I can buy them a set of soup floaties.


View attachment 5722

Well, people who believe that the Universe is only six thousand years old must believe that there is nothing further than six thousand light years away, which would preclude something like 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of the Universe from existing.

Either that, or they must believe that God, in Her infinite wisdom, created the light from all of that Universe beforehand, as a gigantic hoax perpetrated on us poor humans, supposedly the apex of Her Creation, only one step below the angels.

Which of those two alternatives would you find more plausible?

 

[ARMCX1]

Yep, that's an interesting article you posted. Thanks.

Here's the thing that is puzzling. At the heliosheath where the solar winds give way to the interstellar medium and the energetics and types of particles shift from the solar system environment to that of the interstellar medium, the sun's magnetic field remains intact and field lines extends into the interstellar medium. The sun's energy output appears to end at the boundary but it's electromagnetic effects do not. Voyager is still in the solar system if the solar system is defined as that volume of space subject to the gravitational, energetic and electromagnetic influence of the sun since the sun's rotation will drag the interstellar medium particles along the field lines of the sun's magnetosphere.

 

[Bo-4]

Well, people who believe that the Universe is only six thousand years old must believe that there is nothing further than six thousand light years away, which would preclude something like 99.999999999999999999999999999999% of the Universe from existing.

Either that, or they must believe that God, in Her infinite wisdom, created the light from all of that Universe beforehand, as a gigantic hoax perpetrated on us poor humans, supposedly the apex of Her Creation, only one step below the angels.

Which of those two alternatives would you find more plausible?

Tasty response.. thanks! ;-)

 

[LeRoy_Was_Here]

Yep, that's an interesting article you posted. Thanks.

Here's the thing that is puzzling. At the heliosheath where the solar winds give way to the interstellar medium and the energetics and types of particles shift from the solar system environment to that of the interstellar medium, the sun's magnetic field remains intact and field lines extends into the interstellar medium. The sun's energy output appears to end at the boundary but it's electromagnetic effects do not. Voyager is still in the solar system if the solar system is defined as that volume of space subject to the gravitational, energetic and electromagnetic influence of the sun since the sun's rotation will drag the interstellar medium particles along the field lines of the sun's magnetosphere.

In a sense, the Sun's gravitational influence extends throughout the Universe. The 'border' of the Solar System is inevitably fuzzy. Some would argue for including the Oort Cloud, which Voyager is still a ways away from!

 

[ARMCX1]

My mistake. I thought Voyager passed the Oort Cloud but it's only 1/1000 of the way there even though it's been traveling 36.5 years at 10.1 miles/sec.

 

[LeRoy_Was_Here]

My mistake. I thought Voyager passed the Oort Cloud but it's only 1/1000 of the way there even though it's been traveling 36.5 years at 10.1 miles/sec.

Yeah. The Oort Cloud is WAY out there!!

NASA is contemplating a probe, called the 1000-AU mission, that would be our first real attempt to probe interstellar space. We don't quite have the technology to do that. Yet. But in 20 years or so, we might.

 

[ARMCX1]

Yeah. The Oort Cloud is WAY out there!!

NASA is contemplating a probe, called the 1000-AU mission, that would be our first real attempt to probe interstellar space. We don't quite have the technology to do that. Yet. But in 20 years or so, we might.

Depending on how far the Oort cloud really is from earth, it's gonna take 171,000 to 242,000 years for Voyager to reach the Oort cloud.

 

[OldGaffer]

[video=youtube;HEheh1BH34Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEheh1BH34Q[/video]