Voyager I is leaving the neighborhood

[347Mike]

Well, no need to scoop water when we haven't found any. Photos and sensors can tell us that, it's pretty amazing what our technology can tell us without setting foot on the ground. And transversely, it's pretty amazing how little knowledge was gained by walking on the moon vs. what our photos and data already told us.

You don't need something to walk around and communicate with to find "living" things.

It is believed (pretty solid evidence) that Mars had water. Not to mention Europa, one of Jupiters moons, is thought to have twice as much water than on Earth and that is something we know. It is covered in ice and by the enormous amount of gravitational forces it is exposed to it leaves compelling evidence that the center is water. We all know where ever there has ever been water, there has been life... But we can't confirm that because well, we never been there to look.

From a NASA site:

Europa's surface is mostly water ice, and there is evidence that it may be covering an ocean of water or slushy ice beneath. Europa is thought to have twice as much water as does Earth. This moon intrigues astrobiologists because of its potential for having a "habitable zone." Life forms have been found thriving near subterranean volcanoes on Earth and in other extreme locations that may be analogues to what may exist on Europa.

[CJ]

You don't need something to walk around and communicate with to find "living" things.

It is believed (pretty solid evidence) that Mars had water. Not to mention Europa, one of Jupiters moons, is thought to have twice as much water than on Earth and that is something we know. It is covered in ice and by the enormous amount of gravitational forces it is exposed to it leaves compelling evidence that the center is water. We all know where ever there has ever been water, there has been life... But we can't confirm that because well, we never been there to look.

From a NASA site:

That place being Earth. What you're saying is because earth has both life and water, that anywhere else with water also has life. It's a good start, but we have zero evidence of anything out there so far. Hopefully we'll find out soon.

[347Mike]

That place being Earth. What you're saying is because earth has both life and water, that anywhere else with water also has life. It's a good start, but we have zero evidence of anything out there so far. Hopefully we'll find out soon.

I see exactly what you are saying and know where you are heading with this. However, we don't know until we actually go and explore. A telescope cannot look beneath ice millions of miles away. We don't know squat so if that means we use what we know on Earth to make or atleast start making discoveries then thats what it takes.

I agree though, you cannot compare what we have experience with on Earth to situations outside of here, but it gives us a place to look. I am sure there are tons of things out there that are just flying over our heads because they haven't been discovered.

[01vnms4v]

If you just look at what Voyager 1 has done. I mean the computers on there at the time best in he world. Just wish we would send more out with today's computers and cams in other directions to see what they could find on their voyages

[mstng86]

So now we just need to wait for it to come back and try and destroy the earth.



Start Trek: The Movie FTW!!!!!

[diablo rojo]

And transversely, it's pretty amazing how little knowledge was gained by walking on the moon vs. what our photos and data already told us.

We acquired much more than just dust and photos from our travels to the moon. The technological obstacles that were bridged and the scientific knowledge of just HOW to get there was far more important than planting a flag.

[CJ]

I see exactly what you are saying and know where you are heading with this. However, we don't know until we actually go and explore. A telescope cannot look beneath ice millions of miles away. We don't know squat so if that means we use what we know on Earth to make or atleast start making discoveries then thats what it takes.

I agree though, you cannot compare what we have experience with on Earth to situations outside of here, but it gives us a place to look. I am sure there are tons of things out there that are just flying over our heads because they haven't been discovered.

I hope you understand telescopes are only one of hundreds of sensors our advanced satellites use. We can see chemical makeups of the dirt on a planet from millions of miles away.

[Forever_frost]

Wouldn't that be cool if there were solar whales that float around in the universe and eat particles? Nom nom nom

You mean these guys?



Dr. Who Star Whales

[347Mike]

I hope you understand telescopes are only one of hundreds of sensors our advanced satellites use. We can see chemical makeups of the dirt on a planet from millions of miles away.

Can it look through ice and into water though?

[Strychnine]

The issue is scientists don't really know when it has technically left the solar system. It's quite a debate. Some scientists say it's already left the solar system, some say it won't leave in our lifetime.

True, they probably won't have any real sense of where in the boundary layer it is until it pops out the other side, but

June 14, 2012

Data from NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft indicate that the venerable deep-space explorer has encountered a region in space where the intensity of charged particles from beyond our solar system has markedly increased. Voyager scientists looking at this rapid rise draw closer to an inevitable but historic conclusion - that humanity's first emissary to interstellar space is on the edge of our solar system.

The levels of galactic cosmic rays encountered by Voyager rose 25% over a three year period (Jan '09 to Jan '12), but recently rose 5% in one week and 9% in one month starting May 7.


There are three metrics used to determine where it craft is

• Galactic particle count needs to rise - check
• Heliospheric particle count needs to decrease - there has been a slow decline but no dramatic change
• Change in direction of magnetic field lines around the craft - analysis takes weeks and they are currently reviewing the latest transmission

The PGH rate consists of greater than 70 MeV/nuc nuclei, primarily protons, and is a good indicator of the level of modulation of galactic cosmic rays. It can also respond to large solar flares.

http://voyager.gsfc.nasa.gov/heliopause/heliopause/v1pgh.html

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2012-177

[CJ]

We acquired much more than just dust and photos from our travels to the moon. The technological obstacles that were bridged and the scientific knowledge of just HOW to get there was far more important than planting a flag.

It was already established scientific knowledge well before man landed there. I'm not downplaying the significance of landing on the moon, quite the contrary. What I'm saying is there was a lot of research and science before man ever stepped on the moon. The actual moon landing was not as scientifically significant as much of the previous research done. It is actually surprisingly less significant. What can be said about it was it verified that our calculations and previous research was in fact correct.

[diablo rojo]

So now we just need to wait for it to come back and try and destroy the earth.



Start Trek: The Movie FTW!!!!!

[Nash B.]

We all know where ever there has ever been water, there has been life...

No.

[stevo]

Asshole beat me to it...

Stevo

[347Mike]

No.

Quiet, no one asked you, Tony....