NASA’s Voyager mission has made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the outer limits of our solar system, finding a “wall of fire” where temperatures reach 30,000 to 50,000 Kelvin. Launched 47 years ago, Voyager 1 continues to send valuable data from a distance greater than any other spacecraft, offering insights into the solar system’s boundaries.
Researchers have long debated the solar system’s exact endpoint, typically defined by the heliosphere—an expansive bubble created by the solar wind. The heliopause marks the transition where the solar wind weakens and interstellar space begins. Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 have crossed this line, becoming the first spacecraft to enter true interstellar space.
Additionally, important findings include the alignment of magnetic fields at the heliopause, with Voyager 2 confirming Voyager 1’s earlier observations that these fields are parallel inside and outside this boundary. This suggests a consistent feature of the border region between the solar system and interstellar space.
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