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Pale blue dot
Chizz
Posts: 28,337
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.
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.
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Comments
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I cant even see the dot on that picture
Things like this amaze me though, always loved astronomy!!4 -
My shop up Grove Park in there somewhere... Amazing20
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I love a bit of cooking tooForeverAddickted said:I cant even see the dot on that picture
Things like this amaze me though, always loved astronomy!!1 -
Fantastic mission, long may missions like this continue.1
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What shop are you talking about?i_b_b_o_r_g said:My shop up Grove Park in there somewhere... Amazing2 -
I'm pretty sure that's the Valley in the top right quadrant of the dot. Gets clearer when you enlarge it.4
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The one to the right of the dotSoundAsa£ said:
What shop are you talking about?i_b_b_o_r_g said:My shop up Grove Park in there somewhere... Amazing8 -
Think I can just make out the Lambert & Butler advertising in the front windowi_b_b_o_r_g said:
The one to the right of the dotSoundAsa£ said:
What shop are you talking about?i_b_b_o_r_g said:My shop up Grove Park in there somewhere... Amazing6 -
AFKABartram said:
Think I can just make out the Lambert & Butler advertising in the front windowi_b_b_o_r_g said:
The one to the right of the dotSoundAsa£ said:
What shop are you talking about?i_b_b_o_r_g said:My shop up Grove Park in there somewhere... Amazing
If only you could see what was on the top shelf.5 -
That's a very bold statement and would like to see the evidence that supports it.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.
Typical insular Earther universe view.
:-)2 - Sponsored links:
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That picture demonstrates two diametrically opposed perspectives. It shows how significant mankind is with its ability to create, launch and control a man made object capable of taking that picture.
It also demonstrates our insignificance.
(sorry for such profound thoughts on a cold snowy winter's morning in Stoke!).5 -
It's also the only planet with a pub.
Forza humanity!6 -
Vincenzo said:It's also the only planet with a pub.
Forza humanity!
What about the Cantina on Tatooine?bobmunro said:
There may be others!!Vincenzo said:It's also the only known planet with a pub.
Forza humanity!
Has great live music on a Thursday evening, great atmosphere for watching the moons and shots all round7 -
'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.
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I can see my house from here!0
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Spot the ball0
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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.
Are you assuming my species?2 -
Who was we playng that day?0
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Carl Sagan should be on every school physics syllabus in the country.5
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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.4 -
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.1
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Lost 2-1 to Everton away on the 10thcreepyaddick said:Who was we playng that day?
Beat Luton at home 2-0 on the 19th0 -
His four recent programmes on the solar system were phenomenal. I had to keep pausing the tv to take it all in.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.0 -
Watched Ad Astra today. I cannot decide if it's a complete misery or complete delight.
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That picture is breathtaking if not a hoax. Breathtaking.0
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I was at that game - great days...
edit - creepy got there before me...0 -
Conspiracy theory.
We do not exist... oh fuck!0 -
Will be very sad when the voyagers stop transmitting later this year, so much done for the advancement of our knowledge of the solar system0
