How fast must Voyager travel to leave the solar system?

Click For Summary
The Voyager probes have sufficient velocity to escape the Sun's gravitational influence, as they exceed the escape velocity necessary for this purpose. While the Sun's gravitational influence extends indefinitely, the Voyagers are not in orbit around the Sun. The escape velocity from the Sun is approximately 617.5 km/s, but the probes are currently traveling at about 15 km/s relative to the Sun. The discussion also touches on the escape velocities of the solar system and the galaxy, with an estimated galactic escape velocity of 550 km/s. Ultimately, the Voyagers are on a trajectory that will eventually place them under the gravitational influence of other stars.
SPB COOPERATOR
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
I have read articles about the Voyager probes leaving the solar system (or not) depending on what definition is used. So, another definition - do the Voyagers have sufficient velocity to escape the Sun's gravitati0nal influence?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
SPB COOPERATOR said:
...do the Voyagers have sufficient velocity to escape the Sun's gravitati0nal influence?
Yes.
 
Technically, the Sun's gravitational influence extends indefinitely. The Voyager spacecraft , however, are not in an orbit of the Sun - they have more than what is known as the escape velocity. Eventually, the primary gravitational influence will be another nearby star.
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes SPB COOPERATOR and russ_watters
Ooops I overlooked the point the the Sun's Ve of 617.5 km/s is from the sun itself, not the solar system. Does the solar system itself have Ve and even the galaxy itself?
 
SPB COOPERATOR said:
Ooops I overlooked the point the the Sun's Ve of 617.5 km/s is from the sun itself, not the solar system. Does the solar system itself have Ve and even the galaxy itself?
This page gives you an estimated galactic escape velocity relative to the Sun of 550 km/s:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way

Voyager is traveling at ##15 km/s## relative to the Sun.
 

Thread 'Lunar Orbit Issues & Lunar Clocks'

I recently purchased a lunar clock intended as a Christmas present for a young family friend who has become interested in astronomy. The clock face shows twelve images of the Moon in all its main phases, with the Full Moon depicted at the "twelve o'clock" position. Now I purchased this clock especially early to allow time to check on its accuracy. After waiting for a full lunar orbit to occur, I have since discovered that the clock time when measured relative to its lunar images (that's to...
View full post »

Similar threads

High School Third Cosmic Velocity: Will Voyagers Leave Solar System?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
Undergrad Calculate Voyager trajectory using JPL data
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Undergrad New Developments In The Search For Planet X
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
High School Question about the solar system and gravitational forces
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Undergrad Evidence for existence of a 9th Planet in the solar system
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
3K
High School New theory, our solar system formation, "space bubble"
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
4K
Undergrad The solar system and the Coriolis effect
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Velocity required to escape the solar system
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
1K
High School How hard is it to detect extinct comets?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Is the Solar Constant Really 340 W/m^2 or 680 W/m^2?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K