To infinity and Beyond with Voyager 1 - Amanda Maceda

As reported from this Thursday in the journal Science, NASA’s Voyager 1 has officially left our solar system. It was launched a long time ago in the late 70s, 1977 to be exact. Through the years, it has passed both Jupiter and Saturn. The location is more than 12 billion miles away from our big yellow sun. Scientists used the Voyager 1’s indirect measuring of density charge between solar wind and interstellar space to find the border of our galaxy. With the help of two solar system storms, one in last October and the other in April, it was confirmed by this change in density that the Voyager 1 left our galaxy on about August 25 of last year. Along with the achievement of the Voyager 1 to be the first object from earth to be in interstellar space, it has also given us knowledge. We have learned that solar wind serves as a shield for the solar system from galactic cosmic rays, and that the galaxy’s magnetic field is aligned with the sun’s. Even though this little technology is going to lose power in 12 years, there is already a Voyager 2, “which explored Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune,” and “is also still kicking, now some 9.55 billion miles (15.36 billion kilometers) from the sun on its own journey.”

Not only should everyone be aware of this achievement, but also everyone should realize how important this even is.  Like the first man to step on the moon, a big step in space exploring has been accomplished. We have now ventured out of the galaxy, truly, where no man has gone before! There is so much more out there to be journeyed and discovered. Each day, we are getting closer and closer to discovering the whole universe.  Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130911-voyager-interstellar-solar-system-nasa-science-space/