Spacecraft Enters Sun's Magnetic Field Connected to Milky Way

by Mitch Battros - Earth Changes Media


The "magnetic highway" is a place in the far reaches of the solar system where the Sun's magnetic field connects to the magnetic field of our galaxy Milky Way. This connection allows charged particles from inside the heliosphere (the magnetic bubble that surrounds the Sun) to zoom out - and it allows charged particles from outside to stream in. When Voyager 1 is in the magnetic highway, onboard particle sensors can directly sample material from beyond our solar system.

Eleven billion miles from Earth, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has entered a "magnetic highway" that connects our solar system to interstellar space. This could be one of Voyager 1's last steps on its long journey to the stars.
 
"Although Voyager 1 is still inside the Sun's environment, we now can taste what it's like on the outside because the particles are zipping in and out on this magnetic highway," said Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist based at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. "We believe this is the last leg of our journey to interstellar space. Our best guess is it's likely just a few months to a couple years away. The new region isn't what we expected, but we've come to expect the unexpected from Voyager."
 
See related article published Nov. 18th 2012: "Study Shows Black Holes Directed by Magnetic Fields"  
 
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itch Battros
Producer - Earth Changes Media
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