This NASA illustration image shows a surprise from the edge of the solar system. Using a computer model based on Voyager data, scientists have shown that the sun's magnetic field becomes bubbly in the heliosheath due to reconnection. (AFP/NASA)
Posted on 06/09/2011 8:41:13 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) – A pair of NASA probes wandering in deep space discovered that the outer edge of the solar system contains curious magnetic bubbles and is not smooth as previously thought, astronomers said Thursday.
The NASA Voyager twin spacecraft, which launched in 1977, are currently exploring the furthest outlays of the heliosphere, where solar wind is slowed and warped by pressure from other forces in the galaxy, the US space agency said.
"Because the sun spins, its magnetic field becomes twisted and wrinkled, a bit like a ballerina's skirt," said astronomer Merav Opher of Boston University.
"Far, far away from the sun, where the Voyagers are, the folds of the skirt bunch up."
The Voyagers are almost 10 billion miles (16 billion kilometers) from Earth in a little known boundary region where solar wind and magnetic field are influenced by "material expelled from other stars in our corner of the Milky Way galaxy," NASA said.
This "turbulent sea of magnetic bubbles" occurs when parts of the Sun's distant magnetic field break up and reorganize under pressure.
The bubbles are giant -- about 100 million miles wide (160 million kilometers) -- meaning the Voyager probes could take multiple weeks to cross a single one of them.
Scientists have previously theorized that the sun's distant magnetic field curved in "relatively graceful arc, eventually folding back to rejoin the sun," NASA said.
But images of a smooth outer heliosheath have now been discarded as scientists begin to realize that the region is actually bubbly and "frothy."
"The actual bubbles appear to be self-contained and substantially disconnected from the broader solar magnetic field."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
This NASA illustration image shows a surprise from the edge of the solar system. Using a computer model based on Voyager data, scientists have shown that the sun's magnetic field becomes bubbly in the heliosheath due to reconnection. (AFP/NASA)
Ping.
We also couldn't replace the Apollo vehicles, despite tremendous technological advances since the 60's. We have lost the human resources necessary, thanks to the scumbags who have seized control of the gubmint these last twenty-odd years and wasted irreplaceable experience.
The reason obama doesn't want to return to the moon today is because serious scientists have told him we can't do it.
Sorry! I couldn’t resist.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MXgc8wzfC4
How long will voyager have to travel to equal the distance of One light year??
5.8 trillion miles.
About 14k years.
rotflol So Alpha Centari is the closest star and its like 4.2 light years. So when I hear some Nova program talking in positive platitudes about Alpha Centari is our “closest neighbor” and saying a short 4.2 light years away... I can go over to Nasa and kick their ass for being stupid?
>>> How long will voyager have to travel to equal the distance of One light year??
The better question is how long would it take to reach the next star. We worked that out last year on a prior thread:
“” >>>Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is currently 8.6 billion miles (13.8 billion km) from Earth
If I did the math correctly
0.0014629270371999592 Light Years in 33 years.
And the next closest star is Alpha Centauri, at about 4.37 light-years distant.””
At that rate, 98,500 years. If it was even pointed towards that star, which it isn’t.
And long division would give you the rate for one LY.
>>> How long will voyager have to travel to equal the distance of One light year??
The better question is how long would it take to reach the next star. We worked that out last year on a prior thread:
“” >>>Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is currently 8.6 billion miles (13.8 billion km) from Earth
If I did the math correctly
0.0014629270371999592 Light Years in 33 years.
And the next closest star is Alpha Centauri, at about 4.37 light-years distant.””
At that rate, 98,500 years. If it was even pointed towards that star, which it isn’t.
And long division would give you the rate for one LY.
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