September 12th, 2013
02:50 PM ET

Voyager 1 becomes first human-made object to leave solar system

At the edge of the heliosphere, you wouldn't know by looking whether you left the cradle of humanity behind and floated out into interstellar space. You would just see unfathomably empty space, no matter which side of the invisible line you were on.

But scientists now have strong evidence that NASA's Voyager 1 probe has crossed this important border, making history as the first human-made object to leave the heliosphere, the magnetic boundary separating the solar system's sun, planets and solar wind from the rest of the galaxy.

"In leaving the heliosphere and setting sail on the cosmic seas between the stars, Voyager has joined other historic journeys of exploration: The first circumnavigation of the Earth, the first steps on the Moon," said Ed Stone, chief scientist on the Voyager mission. "That's the kind of event this is, as we leave behind our solar bubble."

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soundoff (10 Responses)
  1. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    Bully for US!
    Spreading the wealth around space is something that benefits not only all Americans, but everybody else in the world.
    It renews one's pride in his country.

    September 12, 2013 at 3:23 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Jeff Frank (R-Ohio) "Right Wing Insanity"

    I've always had an interest in space and cosmology from when I was young. When the day comes, when Voyager 1 sends back telemetry of Zecharia Sitchens' Nibiru (planet x) someone give me a call.

    September 12, 2013 at 6:44 pm | Report abuse |
  3. BOMBO

    IMHO, it will not have left the solar system until it passes outside the Oort cloud. That will take thousands of years.

    September 12, 2013 at 7:43 pm | Report abuse |
  4. banasy©

    How cool is that? Awesome!

    September 12, 2013 at 9:58 pm | Report abuse |
  5. bobcat (in a hat)©

    "To infinity and beyond."

    September 12, 2013 at 10:41 pm | Report abuse |
  6. banasy©

    God cannot help you. You are too far gone.

    September 12, 2013 at 11:08 pm | Report abuse |
    • mop

      God can't help because he doesn't exist silly

      September 13, 2013 at 1:28 am | Report abuse |
  7. Bob Sue Sue Bob

    This is crazy

    September 13, 2013 at 8:50 am | Report abuse |
  8. Bob Sue Sue Bob

    This is crazy.....very crazy!!!

    September 13, 2013 at 8:51 am | Report abuse |
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