May 5, 2024

Did the Voyager probe leave the solar system?

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Exactly where that depends on the current strength of the solar wind and the relevant interstellar environment; The limit is thus variable in time and space (and can range from 120 to 200 astronomical units). This is one reason for confusing media reports about when the Voyager probes left the solar system. But aside from that, one could also argue that Voyager 1 and 2 will be part of the solar system for a very, very long time.

How far does the sun’s gravity reach?

Because in addition to the influence of the solar wind, there is still the gravitational force exerted by our star. While all eight planets are within reach of the solar wind (heliosphere), there are more celestial bodies. For example, the asteroid Sedna, which was discovered in 2003, is in an orbit located at a distance of 944 astronomical units from the Sun. The asteroid Leleākūhonua, which was found in 2015, is more than 1,000 astronomical units away from the Sun, and other asteroids are moving much further. The Sun’s gravitational influence reaches about 100,000 astronomical units (about 1.5 light-years). Strictly speaking, the range of gravitational force is infinite, but eventually the gravitational forces of neighboring stars will prevail.

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The Voyager probes reached 160 and 133 AU, respectively. You have left the influence of the solar wind and can now explore the conditions in the interstellar medium. However, it will be a few tens of thousands of years before we can truly say that they are no longer in the solar system. Your gadgets and communication equipment will continue to work for a few more years or maybe even longer. But at some point it ended. And then Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 will drift through the interstellar space of the Milky Way without us being able to trace their fate any further.