The 365 Days of Astronomy Travelers in the Night Eps. 787 & 788: Far Out & 100 Years of Wilderness
Apr 27, 2025
Join Dr. Al Grauer as he explores the incredible distance of Voyager 1, now 163 times farther from the Sun than Earth. Discover how this human-made voyager significantly enriches our understanding of the cosmos. The discussion also highlights the historic designation of Aldo Leopold Wilderness a century ago, emphasizing the need to protect our dark skies. With increasing light pollution, many children may never witness the beauty of the Milky Way or a meteor shower, making stargazing a rarity.
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Voyager 1's Journey and Scale
- Voyager 1 is the most distant human-made traveler, 163 times farther from the Sun than Earth.
- At its speed, it would take 72,000 years to reach the nearest star and 10 times Earth's age to reach Andromeda galaxy.
Importance of Dark Sky Preservation
- Inappropriate lighting causes most children never to see natural night skies like the Milky Way or meteors.
- Wilderness areas like Aldo Leopold and Cosmic Campground Sanctuary preserve natural dark skies and inspire exploration.
Night Sky Inspires Science and Technology
- The natural night sky inspired ancient and modern science and math achievements, from Sumerian base 60 to Newton's calculus.
- Astronomy continues to drive technology innovations crucial to daily life, like computers and cameras.