Voyager 2 made a significant discovery on August 30, 2007, when it entered the region known as the heliosheath. Unlike its sister spacecraft, Voyager 1, Voyager 2 took a different path and crossed the boundary of the heliosheath. This region is home to the solar wind termination shock, which marks the end of the solar wind.
Voyager 2’s journey into this region provided valuable insights into our solar system’s dynamics and interactions with interstellar space. The bubble created by the solar wind was pushed in closer to the sun by local interstellar magnetic fields. This means that external forces affect the shape of our solar system, showing that it is not isolated from interstellar space’s influences.
The crossing of this boundary by Voyager 2 confirmed that our solar system is not perfectly round but “squashed” or “dented” due to the bubble carved into interstellar space by the solar wind. This discovery challenges our understanding of how our planetary system works and how it interacts with other celestial bodies in space.
The journey of Voyager 2 has been an incredible success story for scientists and researchers studying our solar system’s dynamics and interactions with interstellar space. It has provided valuable insights into how external forces affect our planetary system, which will help us better understand how we fit into larger cosmic picture.
In conclusion, Voyager 2’s journey into the heliosheath was a significant milestone for science and technology. Its discovery confirms that our solar system is not perfectly round but “squashed” or “dented,” challenging our understanding of how it works and how it interacts with other celestial bodies in space.
