We like to think we mean something here on our silly little planet. We inflate our importance with society, religion and politics looking down on some here and sucking up to others there.
One day our Sun will explode or we will get hit buy a big rock or we will poison our atmosphere or blow ourselves to oblivion.
And once we are gone the Universe won't care a damn.
But 2 tiny little specks floating on the Galactic winds may well get the opportunity to tell whoever is out there that we once dreamed large and maybe were worthy of note.
This utterly amazing 2 hours tells the story of Voyager. Two probes sent out to photograph and scan the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and then carry on into whatever out there actually is. Voyager#1 and Voyager#2 and their little gold records may well be all that remains of our hubris of being chosen by gods for some great destiny.
An incredible story of absolutely incredible people who started this dream in 1972 under Nixon and were able to see their creation, Voyager#1, become the first man made object to leave our Solar System in 2012. Voyager #2 will follow in the next few years. Luckily we had someone who had integrity and was articulate and intelligent to deliver the news in President Obama. Imagine the current infestation of that office being tasked with announcing this great achievement today. Me neither!
As Voyager#1 was leaving the orbit of Neptune someone had the most incredible idea of turning it around and photographing the Solar System from nearly 11 Billion Miles from the Sun. It nearly never happened as there was no science in doing such a thing. Thankfully one of the greatest human beings we have ever had Carl Sagan managed to talk them around into taking what is without doubt the most incredible photo ever taken. I am glad he lived to see that as his Cosmos series was one of TV greatest ever. Worth seeing. Check it out.
But 2 tiny little specks floating on the Galactic winds may well get the opportunity to tell whoever is out there that we once dreamed large and maybe were worthy of note.
This utterly amazing 2 hours tells the story of Voyager. Two probes sent out to photograph and scan the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and then carry on into whatever out there actually is. Voyager#1 and Voyager#2 and their little gold records may well be all that remains of our hubris of being chosen by gods for some great destiny.
An incredible story of absolutely incredible people who started this dream in 1972 under Nixon and were able to see their creation, Voyager#1, become the first man made object to leave our Solar System in 2012. Voyager #2 will follow in the next few years. Luckily we had someone who had integrity and was articulate and intelligent to deliver the news in President Obama. Imagine the current infestation of that office being tasked with announcing this great achievement today. Me neither!
As Voyager#1 was leaving the orbit of Neptune someone had the most incredible idea of turning it around and photographing the Solar System from nearly 11 Billion Miles from the Sun. It nearly never happened as there was no science in doing such a thing. Thankfully one of the greatest human beings we have ever had Carl Sagan managed to talk them around into taking what is without doubt the most incredible photo ever taken. I am glad he lived to see that as his Cosmos series was one of TV greatest ever. Worth seeing. Check it out.