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Voyager Probes

Voyager 1 and 2 conducted a “grand tour” of the outer planets during the 1970s and ’80s. Voyager 1 flew past Jupiter and Saturn, discovering new moons and rings, compiling movies of the motions of both planets’ atmospheres, and conducting other observations. Voyager 2 followed the same path, but was then targeted to fly past Uranus and Neptune. Its encounters provided the first detailed looks at both giant planets and their moons. No other spacecraft has flown past either planet. Both Voyagers still operate today, and have detected signs of the “edge” of the solar system.

Resources

Jupiter's Moons February 19, 2016
Uranus

Uranus February 10, 2016
Jupiter

Jupiter February 10, 2016

Explorations of Outer Planets July 7, 2008

Featured Images

Uranus and Neptune from Voyager 2

Colorful Giants July 31, 2022
artist's concept of the craggy surface of triton, with a thin crescent neptune in the sky

Cold Skies October 10, 2021
Neptune from Voyager 2

Giant Crescent September 13, 2021
artist's view of voyager spacecraft in interstellar space

Still Going August 23, 2021
Voyager 2 views of the surface of the Jovian moon Ganymede

Moonscapes July 20, 2018
Voyager 2 view of the southern hemisphere of Neptune

Blue Giant September 3, 2017
Voyager 1 view of white oval storms on Jupiter

Jovian Pearls June 3, 2017
Voyager 2 view of Titania, largest moon of Uranus

Cracked Moon October 14, 2016
Composite view showing plumes of water eruption from Jupiter's moon Europa

Wet Moon September 26, 2016
Voyager 2 view of Neptune

Blue Planet 2 September 1, 2016

Jovian Rings March 9, 2016

Radio Programs

Uranus at Opposition II A big entourage for a big planet November 4, 2021

Triton An intriguing moon far from the Sun October 10, 2021

Staying in Touch Long pauses in long-distance conversations August 23, 2021

Interstellar Probe A trip to interstellar space September 29, 2020

Moon and Uranus Losing a “bubble” of air September 6, 2020

Aging Explorers Keeping aging explorers at work April 30, 2020

Neptune at Opposition Dark spots for a giant planet September 6, 2019

First to Neptune A giant planet’s only visitor August 25, 2019

Mars and Uranus Hints of new moons for a giant planet February 25, 2017