Its gone!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24026153

To me it's still hard to comprehend that 1970's technology can do this.

 

We've let them know we're here now

 

Its official. Voyager 1 has left the solar system. That makes it the first man made object to reach interstellar space. I think that's quite immensely phenomenal.

But even more impressive, its still sending data back. It was built in the 1970s. Back then, "micro" computers were just starting to emerge, and they were big and bulky with absolutely pathetic computational capability.

But even more amazing that that, is that all this data that Voyager 1 is sending back is transmitted via a transmitter that can manage just 20 watts, 1/1000th of what Radio Caroline managed, yet that feebly weak signal from a 20W transmitter is making it all the way here over 12 billions miles of space.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24026153

I know I'm a bit geeky at times, but this sort of thing really amazes me.

 

My wife is 36, to think that its taken her entire life so far to get that far and its still going strong - amazing, and as you say Mowgley this is 1970's technology unless of course you believe the conspiracy theories and 'alien' technology is being used by the US government.......hmmmmm

 

Amazing to think, that it's taken this long traveling at that speed to get out of our solar system, let alone our Galaxy!

 

We'll never get out of the galaxy Freddy, intergalactic is just made up by the filum industry.

But at least we've left the Solar System now

 

I think I went intergalactic after several Carlsberg Special and Southern Comforts when I was in my late teens
(PS never drunk Southern Comfort since, nor Specials ............ )

 

Yes, I know. It just brings into focus how small we are....

 

Agreed

 

But...............How will we recycle it now????

 

BBC have a good app on their site . If you took a jet plane at 555mph it would take 1926 years to reach Voyager 2 !!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21937524

 

Amazing thing is that its still able to transmit messages until approx 2025!!!

 

Typical of the BBC to omit relevant facts. The jumbo jet would never reach Voyager 2 because it can't even get much higher than about 50,000 ft, and even if it could it would run out of fuel after a few thousand miles and even if it didn't you'd get bored before you got there and even if you didn't you'd have to get the trajectory absolutely bang on otherwise you'd miss it, and even if you got the trajectory bang on, had a plane that fly in space, could live for 2000 years without getting bored and dying, and had infinite fuel, your plane is only doing 555 miles an hour, so Voyager 2 would still be getting away from you

 

Imagine being able to do 100,000 miles per hour.

That's an instant ban without a doubt.

 

You're being 'picky'