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And some people think Mankind knows almost everything about our Multiverse......
Quote:
Not content with simply being the man-made object to travel farthest from Earth, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft recently entered a bizarre new region at the solar system’s edge that has physicists baffled. Their theories don’t predict anything like it.
Not sure the word "Mutiverse" is applicable, but I agree there's a lot more about the universe that still remains unknown and unexplored. Reminds me of when early cartographers would try to map out the ocean and land masses, adding labels like "Here be dragons".
Not sure the word "Mutiverse" is applicable, but I agree there's a lot more about the universe that still remains unknown and unexplored. Reminds me of when early cartographers would try to map out the ocean and land masses, adding labels like "Here be dragons".
Since I believe in many coexisting realities and not one that's unique that's the term I use...
Since I believe in many coexisting realities and not one that's unique that's the term I use...
Thanks for the explanation. I'm not sure that's usually the first thing that comes to mind with the term though as it seems a bit unconventional. Not that there's anything wrong with being unconventional. Rather that it makes communication a bit difficult without differentiating between the two.
Where I would differ, as it pertains to the subject of the thread, is that it may be that some people think Mankind knows everything but I think that those who hold such a view are greatly mistaken. Exploring our surroundings in the universe does not mean we know everything about it. It gives us a better understanding, but it does not mean that understanding isn't subject to change. If Mankind knew everything, there'd be no point to continue with exploration.
What the article pointed out was that there's more to the outer reaches of the solar system than previously thought. The previous views were based on models, or what was assumed. Since the data from Voyager 1 appears to be quite different than what was expected, it is unknown exactly why there is this difference. That's not so bad because it just demonstrates that there's more to learn. Learning is a part of our human experience. We obviously have a lot more to learn about the nature of the solar system, the galaxy and the universe. The exploration of space is full of surprises and new discoveries.
Some scientists may sound like they know it all but they don't. Although some thing are known, at least as much as current understanding goes, but things are usually subject to change based on future discoveries and evidence. Scientists are no different than anyone else. They have to take a dump just like everyone else.
There is still a whole lot we don't know. I made this little venn diagram to show that there's still a missing link in physics that ties it all together. More specifically, a region of physics yet discovered (but highly theorized) that encompasses both quantum mechanics and general relativity which seem to contradict each other in various ways. Some people think this might be where string theory comes in or the M Theory to expand on it. This is a controversial subject though so I won't go into it.
Since this was 1970's technology i've always been curious as to just how did they pilot these four spacecraft (Voyager's & Pioneer's) through the Asteroid and Kuiper Belts and yet keep them from colliding into the numerous objects (billions/trillions of rock?) within them?
Since this was 1970's technology i've always been curious as to just how did they pilot these four spacecraft (Voyager's & Pioneer's) through the Asteroid and Kuiper Belts and yet keep them from colliding into the numerous objects (billions/trillions of rock?) within them?
I had always been curious about that as well because I envisioned the Belts as being densely populated and that a spacecraft flying through them would risk a collision. While both the Asteroid and Kuiper Belts both contain a staggering number of rocky objects, these objects are still widely scattered apart, generally speaking, far enough that the risk of a collision with any sizable object is extremely low. Keep in mind that these Belts are not only extremely distant, but also cover a truly mind-boggling area of space. Potential collisions with dust would be more likely. Collision with an object the size of a grain of sand could result in a catastrophic destruction of the probes. So far, so good. Assuming these crafts never crash into anything, the could potentially end up drifting through the galaxy forever. In my opinion though, I think they'd eventually erode away completely even though it could take millions of years, just from the chipping away from high energy interstellar particles, if it doesn't ultimately fly into something.
The real trick is steering these things in a way to orbit planets to use the gravitational field assist to build up speed. These crafts are equipped with several globe-like fuel tanks of hydrazine which is used sparingly to make course corrections with small jet bursts. It's more like slightly nudging the crafts. The Voyager probes and Pioneer 11 probe have on-board computer systems. The Pioneer 10 probe does not. Communication with these probes is done by sending commands via radio signals. The calculations for course corrections involved has to be extremely precise. The on-board computer system for Pioneer 11 is extremely small, and doesn't have much storage available to save radioed commands. Codes had to be very brief. Data storage is 6.144 bytes of information. That's pretty dinky.
One of Pioneer 10's mission was to assess the debris in the Asteroid Belt. At that time there was no other way of knowing exactly what the dangers were. Today, we now have the Vesta probe cruising through the asteroid belt for a close look at sizable asteroids. The Japanese had sent a probe to collect dust from one of the asteroids and the US made a one-way landing on one of the asteroids.
With the New Horizons mission on its way to Pluto, we're discovering that Pluto has a surprising number of moons orbiting it, rather than just Charoen. It's currently another occasion where great care has to be taken since it's possible there could be all kinds of pebble-sized or sand grain-sized debris orbiting the minor planet. This is another unknown. A collision with such debris could quickly end the mission. If more debris is detected as the probe gets closer, the probe will get in as close as possible, but perhaps not as close as hoped for. Time will tell. Regardless, if all goes well, New Horizons will ultimately head deeper into the Kuiper Belt to explore another sizable object. Eris had been a hopeful candidate, but evidently that's been ruled out because its position is too far off course to make it happen. Other possible candidates (31-62 miles in diameter) in the Kuiper Belt are currently being searched for as a flyby mission.
My apologies for an error. What I called the "Vesta probe" is actually called the Dawn probe. I had forgotten the name of it and was just being lazy. Dawn orbited Vesta, which is the 2nd largest object in the Asteroid Belt, more like a protoplanet, and is on the way to Ceres, also in the Asteroid Belt, which is the largest object in the Belt and is currently considered the smallest known Dwarf Planet in the solar system. I wouldn't be surprised that there may be dwarf planets even smaller than Ceres in the Kuiper Belt. It is suspected that there might be up to around 200 dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt and perhaps more than 10,000 outside the Kuiper Belt.
Assuming these crafts never crash into anything, the could potentially end up drifting through the galaxy forever.
For sure. And if its is 'found' it sure beats me if all the information that was put on the craft could and will be 'interpreted'!
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