The Voyager 1 spacecraft detects “humming sounds” outside the solar system

Voyager 1, one of the two spacecraft that NASA sent 44 years ago into interstellar space, is indeed the most distant human-made object in space – REUTERS / NASA / JPL-Caltech / Handout

Crossing the enormity of the universe, Already outside of our solar system, Voyager 1 is one of two spacecraft that NASA sent 44 years ago into interstellar space. And that the thing that man-made is the one that has gone to great lengths, it continues to progress towards infinity and is still making surprising discoveries, such as The hum of interstellar gas recently discovered by scientists.

In 2012, the spacecraft crossed the boundaries of the solar system (heliosphere). It passed through the heliosphere, the point where the solar wind meets the stellar winds of other stars and has since moved through interstellar space.

Traveling at more than 50,000 kilometers per hour and about 23,000 million kilometers from usTheir devices detected hum of interstellar gases (plasma waves). Details of the research, conducted by scientists at Cornell University (New York), were published in the journal this week Natural Astronomy. Stella Koch Auker, a PhD student in astronomy at Cornell University and author of the discovery, describes the buzz as something.Very weak and monotonous, because it is in narrow bandwidth. We are discovering the faint and continuous murmur of interstellar gas. “

Voyager 1 travels at over 50,000 kilometers per hour and nearly 23,000 million kilometers from us, and JOHNS HOPKINS APL still runs
Voyager 1 travels at over 50,000 kilometers per hour and nearly 23,000 million kilometers from us, and JOHNS HOPKINS APL still runs

The Cornell researchers believe the discovery will help scientists understand how the interstellar medium interacts with the solar wind and how the heliosphere shield is formed and modified by the environment. This discovery, which in itself is scientifically relevant, only confirmed the value of this landmark investigation launched in September 1977. And that after it has passed through Jupiter (in 1979) and Saturn (at the end of 1980) at 61,155 kilometers per hour, it is still working and sending data.

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The research shows that upon entering interstellar space, the spacecraft’s plasma wave system detected perturbations in the gas, but between those explosions – caused by our sun – the researchers discovered a steady and continuous signal produced by a faint almost empty of space.

The interstellar medium resembles a calm or gentle rain. In a solar flare, it’s almost like seeing lightning in a thunderstorm Lead author James Cordes, professor of astronomy George Feldstein (A&S), explains, “Then it returns to light rain. The authors of the discovery believe that there is more low-level activity in the interstellar gas than previously thought, which would allow researchers to track the spatial distribution of the plasma, that is, when Not affected by solar flares.

The research shows that upon entering interstellar space, the spacecraft's plasma wave system detects disturbances in the gas - NASA
The research shows that upon entering interstellar space, the spacecraft’s plasma wave system detects disturbances in the gas – NASA

For this reason, it is imperative for Cornell University researcher Shami Chatterjee to constantly monitor the density of interstellar space: “We never had the opportunity to evaluate it. We now know that we do not need a random event related to the Sun to measure interstellar plasma.”

Voyager 1, which left Earth with an expanse of A gold registry established by a commission headed by Professor Cornell Carl SaganEquipped with technology since the mid-1970s, “It’s a gift from engineering to science. It’s a testament to the incredible journey of the Voyager,” Oker concludes.

To send a signal to Earth, the spacecraft used 22 watts, according to the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The spacecraft contains approximately 70 kilobytes of computer memory, and at the start of the mission, the data rate was 21 kilobits per second. Because of the distance, the connection speed has since decreased to 160 bps, or about half the 300 baud rate.

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Lovell Loxley

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