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NASA's Voyager and Pioneer probes launched decades ago. Here's where they'll end up.

Accepted submission by realDonaldTrump at 2019-05-18 14:39:19
Science

foxnews.com/science/nasas-voyager-and-pioneer-probes-launched-decades-ago-and-are-still-out-there-heres-where-theyll-end-up [foxnews.com]

....the next star that Voyager 1 will pass will be Earth's nearest stellar neighbor, Proxima Centauri, in 16,700 years. However, this encounter will be unremarkable, as the craft's closest approach will be 1.1 parsecs (pc) from the star, which equates to 3.59 light-years — very, very far away. In fact, Voyager 1 is currently 1.3 pc (4.24 light-years) from the star, so this encounter won't be much closer than the craft's current location is. (Earth's sun is 1.29 pc, or 4.24 light-years, away from Proxima Centauri.)

Voyager 2 and Pioneer 11's next close encounters will also be with Proxima Centauri, while Pioneer 10's next flyby will be with the star Ross 248, a small star 10.3 light-years from Earth in the constellation Andromeda.


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