Artwork of Voyager Leaving Solar System

Two Voyager spacecraft (Voyager 1 and Voyager 2) were launched in 1977. This timing took advantage of a rare alignment of the four giant outer planets Jupiter to Neptune, which made it possible for Voyager 2 to visit them in a single mission. This timing took advantage of a rare alignment of the four giant outer planets Jupiter to Neptune, which made it possible for Voyager 2 to visit them in a single mission. The probes successfully beamed images and scientific data back to Earth using their dish. In this illustration one of the probes is seen leaving the Solar System, its long mission among the planets at and end. In this illustration one of the probes is seen leaving the Solar System, its long mission among the planets at and end. photo by MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY