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Pale blue dot

ChizzChizz
in Not Sports Related
Thirty years ago this week, one of the most spectacular and thought-provoking photographs was taken.  

On 14 February 1990, the 772kg robotic spacecraft, Voyager 1, took the final pictures of its mission, having been turned round to face the planet from which it had been travelling for eleven years.  The photo was taken from 3.7bn miles away.  To put that in context, that's more than 40 times the distance from Earth to the Sun.

The spacecraft's two cameras were then powered down and were not able to take any more photographs.  Voyager 1 - and the gold-plated record it contains - are now more than 13.8bn miles from Earth.  It is the furthest man-made object from Earth and is still in contact with the Deep Space Network. 

The photograph shows one, single speck of pale blue light, emanating from planet Earth.  Every person that has ever existed has lived out their life within the minuscule dimensions of that, tiny dot.  The entire history of mankind, from the initial upright-walking of homo sapiens to the present day has taken place inside that single pixel.  

Perspective. 

Image result for pale blue dot
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Comments

  • ForeverAddicktedForeverAddickted
    I cant even see the dot on that picture

    Things like this amaze me though, always loved astronomy!!
  • i_b_b_o_r_gi_b_b_o_r_g
    ForeverAddickted said:
    I cant even see the dot on that picture

    Things like this amaze me though, always loved astronomy!!
    I love a bit of cooking too
  • jonseventyfivejonseventyfive
    Fantastic mission, long may missions like this continue. 
  • SoundAsa£SoundAsa£
    i_b_b_o_r_g said:
    My shop up Grove Park in there somewhere... Amazing
    What shop are you talking about?
  • seth plumseth plum
    I'm pretty sure that's the Valley in the top right quadrant of the dot. Gets clearer when you enlarge it.
  • RodneyCharltonTrottaRodneyCharltonTrotta
    Chizz said:
    Thirty years ago this week, one of the most spectacular and thought-provoking photographs was taken.  

    On 14 February 1990, the 772kg robotic spacecraft, Voyager 1, took the final pictures of its mission, having been turned round to face the planet from which it had been travelling for eleven years.  The photo was taken from 3.7bn miles away.  To put that in context, that's more than 40 times the distance from Earth to the Sun.

    The spacecraft's two cameras were then powered down and were not able to take any more photographs.  Voyager 1 - and the gold-plated record it contains - are now more than 13.8bn miles from Earth.  It is the furthest man-made object from Earth and is still in contact with the Deep Space Network. 

    The photograph shows one, single speck of pale blue light, emanating from planet Earth.  Every person that has ever existed has lived out their life within the minuscule dimensions of that, tiny dot.  The entire history of mankind, from the initial upright-walking of homo sapiens to the present day has taken place inside that single pixel.  

    Perspective. 

    Image result for pale blue dot
    That's a very bold statement and would like to see the evidence that supports it.


    Typical insular Earther universe view.


    :-)
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  • bobmunrobobmunro
    Vincenzo said:
    It's also the only known planet with a pub.

    Forza humanity!
    There may be others!!
  • Raith_C_ChattonellRaith_C_Chattonell
    'A mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam' Carl Sagan

    That reminds me.  Hope the new owners kick on with our rebuild, don't wanna get blown away. 
  • SolidgoneSolidgone
    I can see my house from here!
  • mickcmickc
    Spot the ball
  • DRAddickDRAddick
    Chizz said:
    Thirty years ago this week, one of the most spectacular and thought-provoking photographs was taken.  

    On 14 February 1990, the 772kg robotic spacecraft, Voyager 1, took the final pictures of its mission, having been turned round to face the planet from which it had been travelling for eleven years.  The photo was taken from 3.7bn miles away.  To put that in context, that's more than 40 times the distance from Earth to the Sun.

    The spacecraft's two cameras were then powered down and were not able to take any more photographs.  Voyager 1 - and the gold-plated record it contains - are now more than 13.8bn miles from Earth.  It is the furthest man-made object from Earth and is still in contact with the Deep Space Network. 

    The photograph shows one, single speck of pale blue light, emanating from planet Earth.  Every person that has ever existed has lived out their life within the minuscule dimensions of that, tiny dot.  The entire history of mankind, from the initial upright-walking of homo sapiens to the present day has taken place inside that single pixel.  

    Perspective. 

    Image result for pale blue dot

    Are you assuming my species? 
  • creepyaddickcreepyaddick
    Who was we playng that day?
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  • colthe3rdcolthe3rd
    Been on a bit of a Space binge lately so this is great Chizz. 

    Just finished the BBC podcast series called 13 minutes to the moon. The series details the final 13 minutes of the moon landing, includes lots of interviews with the people who helped make it happen. It's very good if you like that sort of thing. A line from Neil Armstrong really got to me when he said "when we saw the Earth pop out from behind the moon i could hide everything I've ever known with my thumb". This pic just brings that point home about how small we all are.
  • ValleyGaryValleyGary
    Wonders of the Universe is still my favourite thing the BBC has ever done. Brian Cox can be a bit marmite but I absolutely love him. Brilliant at dumbing down Astronomy and find his enthusiasm infectious when watching. 
  • Leeds_AddickLeeds_Addick
    creepyaddick said:
    Who was we playng that day?
    Lost  2-1 to Everton away on the 10th
    Beat Luton at home 2-0 on the 19th
  • UboatUboat
    ValleyGary said:
    Wonders of the Universe is still my favourite thing the BBC has ever done. Brian Cox can be a bit marmite but I absolutely love him. Brilliant at dumbing down Astronomy and find his enthusiasm infectious when watching. 
    His four recent programmes on the solar system were phenomenal. I had to keep pausing the tv to take it all in. 
  • PopIconPopIcon
    Watched Ad Astra today. I cannot decide if it's a complete misery or complete delight.
  • RobRob
    That picture is breathtaking if not a hoax. Breathtaking. 
  • SporadicAddickSporadicAddick
    edited February 2020
    I was at that game - great days...

    edit - creepy got there before me...
  • BeardfaceBeardface
    mickc said:
    Spot the ball
    It's clearly flat. 
  • soapy_jonessoapy_jones
    Conspiracy theory.

    We do not exist...  oh fuck!
  • LTKapalLTKapal
    Will be very sad when the voyagers stop transmitting later this year, so much done for the advancement of our knowledge of the solar system
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