November’s Night Sky Notes: Light-Day Away

In 1977, NASA deployed the Voyager 1 and 2 probes as part of an ambitious mission utilizing a rare celestial event. The launch coincided with a planetary alignment involving Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, occurring roughly every 175 years. These twin spacecraft employed a strategic series of six gravity assists to maximize their range and extend the duration of the exploration. This ‘Grand Tour’ allowed scientists to obtain detailed observations of the gas and ice giant planets and numerous associated moons. Data collected during this unprecedented journey continues to provide valuable insights into our solar system's outer reaches today.