# Voyager has left the Solar System. Space science dopers, please weigh in...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voyager-has-left-the-solar-system-space-science-dopers-please-weigh-in/669942>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 29, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voyager-has-left-the-solar-system-space-science-dopers-please-weigh-in/669942 "2013-09-29T18:50:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voyager-has-left-the-solar-system-space-science-dopers-please-weigh-in/669942/21 "2013-09-30T21:24:47Z")

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> [@BlinkingDuck](#):
>
> I have it on good authority that it will be used as target practice by an alien warrior race.

I thought that was Pioneer 10.

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voyager-has-left-the-solar-system-space-science-dopers-please-weigh-in/669942/22 "2013-09-30T21:29:11Z")

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Yeah, I was including New Horizons in my count. The other Voyager, two Pioneers, and New Horizons.

> [@](#):
>
> New Horizons is also set for this, so that would be 5, once you get to 10 you get a free pizza.

Hey, maybe. Yum Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC, has had other space exploration-related promotions in the past.

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**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voyager-has-left-the-solar-system-space-science-dopers-please-weigh-in/669942/23 "2013-09-30T21:53:32Z")

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The article isn’t as good as The Bad Astronomer’s, but I like the figure[here](http://astronaut.com/voyager-1-really-interstellar-space-nasa-knows/). It’s a good way to see that Voyager has gone beyond the reach of the solar wind, but not beyond Sol’s gravitational influence. It hasn’t made it into the Oort cloud, yet. It’s out in the interstellar weather, though. And still flying.

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**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voyager-has-left-the-solar-system-space-science-dopers-please-weigh-in/669942/24 "2013-10-01T11:49:54Z")

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Sol’s gravitational influence goes on for ever, so perhaps we can ignore that.

Well when you are 1/ nth (like 1/5th for a larger star ) of the way toward another star then perhaps the net gravity is not torward Sol.  
But really gravity is not the determinant of being “IN” the solar system.

Their definition was there being stuff there that is remaining there, because of Sol.

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