In the News: Voyager 1 reaches beyond our solar system

Need a short activity for your students: In the News...
NASA has announced that the first man-made object has left the solar system! The Voyager 1 launched in 1977(along with the Voyager 2 sixteen days later) has left heliosphere and is now zooming into interstellar space. The heliosphere is the boundary separating our solar system including the sun~ planets and solar wind from the rest of the galaxy. Some say the solar system contains the orbits of distant comets so if this is included~ the Voyager still has thousands of years to go to exit the solar system. Either way~ it's an amazing triumph for the space probe~ which with memory less than a smart phone is still working! Traveling at more than 28~000 mph~ the Voyager carries what is called the "golden record"~ including sounds and photographs of our word so that if alien life forms are out there and come into contact with the Voyager~ they can learn a bit about our world.

NOTE: Illustration of The Golden Record from NASA. gov

Extension Activities:
Pretend you are the Voyager 1 and write a diary entry as to what have you seen along your journey?
Make your own "Golden Record". What would be 7 things you'd want aliens to know about earth and its live forms?
Learn about a planet~ comet~ asteroid or meteor and create an illustration. Write 4 facts learned about your topic.
Learn about space junk: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/orbital-objects/

Resources for Kids:
http://kidsastronomy.com
http://www.spacekids.co.uk/learn/
https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html

Check out my teacher resources for EdWorld Exchange in one place: https://www.pinterest.com/gailhennessey/?redirected=1 All resources are under $4. Grades 4 and up