Voyagers in Space LEVELED BOOK • P a Reading A–Z Level P Leveled Book Word Count: 697 Voyagers in Space

Voyagers in Space LEVELED BOOK • P A Reading A–Z Level P Leveled Book Word Count: 697 Voyagers in Space

• S M • P

Written by Cheryl Reifsnyder

Visit www.readinga-z.com for thousands of books and materials. www.readinga-z.com

Photo Credits: Time Line: Important Dates for the Voyager Missions Glossary Front cover, back cover: © MPI/Archive Photos/Getty Images; title page: © NASA/SSPL/The Image Works; page 3: © NASA/SuperStock; pages 4, 6 (bottom 1977 Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 launch 16 days apart atmosphere a layer of gases surrounding left), 7 (icons), 10, 12: courtesy of NASA/JPL; pages 5, 8, 13, 14: courtesy of NASA/ JPL-Caltech; pages 6 (center), 9, 15: courtesy of NASA/JPL/University of Arizona; 1979 Jupiter flybys, with discovery of volcanoes and ice (n.) a planet, star, or moon (p . 10) Voyagers page 6 (background): courtesy of NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute; page 11: courtesy of NASA/ESA/M. Showalter (SETI Institute) on Jupiter’s moons explore (v.) to observe and learn about an 1980 Saturn flybys, with discovery of atmosphere on Titan; Title page: A NASA technician checks a test model of a Voyager spacecraft area by traveling over or through in 1977 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Voyager 1 begins trip out of solar system it (p . 4) in Space Page 3: Saturn and one of its moons as photographed by Voyager 1 on 1986 Voyager 2 reaches Uranus gravity (n.) the natural force that tends to pull November 3, 1980. The shadow of the moon appears on the planet’s cloud tops. 1989 Voyager 2 reaches Neptune and begins trip out of solar objects toward each other, such as system objects being pulled toward the 1990 Voyager Interstellar Mission begins center of Earth (p . 6) 1998 Voyager 1 passes Pioneer 10, becoming the most distant instruments tools, especially those used human-made object in space (n.) for making or recording 2012 Voyager 1 enters interstellar space measurements (p . 8) magnetic field an area around a magnet or Conclusion (n.) a moving electric charge where there is a magnetic force (p . 11) “The Voyager mission has opened up our mission (n.) a flight of a spacecraft or aircraft solar system,” says project scientist Dr . with the purpose of completing a special assignment (p . 4) Edward Stone . The two spacecraft ended orbits (n.) the paths taken by objects in space up exploring all of the solar system’s giant circling around other larger outer planets and forty-eight of their objects (p . 6) moons . Now the Voyagers are giving us probes (n.) devices used to send back information from places that are Voyagers in Space a first look at deep space . Like two small Correlation difficult or dangerous to reach Level P Leveled Book © Learning A–Z LEVEL P bottles in the universe’s huge ocean, they (p . 4) Written by Cheryl Reifsnyder Written by Cheryl Reifsnyder Fountas & Pinnell M carry a message from Earth to whatever solar system a group of objects in space that All rights reserved. Reading Recovery 28 DRA 28 lies beyond . (n.) orbit a star (p . 4) www.readinga-z.com www.readinga-z.com

Voyagers in Space • Level P 15 16 Photo Credits: Front cover, back cover: © MPI/Archive Photos/Getty Images; title page: © Time Line: Important Dates for the Voyager Missions Glossary NASA/SSPL/The Image Works; page 3: © NASA/SuperStock; pages 4, 6 (bottom left), 7 (icons), 10, 12: courtesy of NASA/JPL; pages 5, 8, 13, 14: courtesy of NASA/ 1977 Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 launch 16 days apart atmosphere a layer of gases surrounding JPL-Caltech; pages 6 (center), 9, 15: courtesy of NASA/JPL/University of Arizona; Voyagers 1979 Jupiter flybys, with discovery of volcanoes and ice (n.) a planet, star, or moon (p . 10) page 6 (background): courtesy of NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute; page 11: courtesy of NASA/ESA/M. Showalter (SETI Institute) on Jupiter’s moons explore (v.) to observe and learn about an Title page: A NASA technician checks a test model of a Voyager spacecraft 1980 Saturn flybys, with discovery of atmosphere on Titan; in 1977 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. area by traveling over or through in Space Voyager 1 begins trip out of solar system it (p . 4) Page 3: Saturn and one of its moons as photographed by Voyager 1 on November 3, 1980. The shadow of the moon appears on the planet’s cloud tops. 1986 Voyager 2 reaches Uranus gravity (n.) the natural force that tends to pull 1989 Voyager 2 reaches Neptune and begins trip out of solar objects toward each other, such as system objects being pulled toward the 1990 Voyager Interstellar Mission begins center of Earth (p . 6) 1998 Voyager 1 passes Pioneer 10, becoming the most distant instruments tools, especially those used human-made object in space (n.) for making or recording 2012 Voyager 1 enters interstellar space measurements (p . 8) magnetic field an area around a magnet or Conclusion (n.) a moving electric charge where there is a magnetic force (p . 11) “The Voyager mission has opened up our mission (n.) a flight of a spacecraft or aircraft solar system,” says project scientist Dr . with the purpose of completing a special assignment (p . 4) Edward Stone . The two spacecraft ended orbits (n.) the paths taken by objects in space up exploring all of the solar system’s giant circling around other larger outer planets and forty-eight of their objects (p . 6) moons . Now the Voyagers are giving us probes (n.) devices used to send back Voyagers in Space information from places that are Correlation a first look at deep space . Like two small Level P Leveled Book difficult or dangerous to reach © Learning A–Z LEVEL P Written by Cheryl Reifsnyder bottles in the universe’s huge ocean, they (p . 4) Written by Cheryl Reifsnyder Fountas & Pinnell M All rights reserved. Reading Recovery 28 carry a message from Earth to whatever solar system a group of objects in space that DRA 28 www.readinga-z.com www.readinga-z.com lies beyond . (n.) orbit a star (p . 4)

Voyagers in Space • Level P 15 16 The Golden Record The First Messages to Aliens Gathering information is only part of the The Golden Record isn’t the first message humans have sent into space. Pioneer 10 and 11 are the only other Voyagers’ mission . They are also carrying human-made objects currently headed out of the solar information out of the solar system . It’s a system. Each carries a metal plaque showing drawings of a man, a woman, and Earth’s position in the universe. message to non-Earth life forms, or aliens .

The message is on a twelve-inch “Golden The Final Task Record” on the side of each spacecraft . Now that the Voyagers have finished The record includes music, art, and exploring planets, they have a new job . Table of Contents spoken greetings from around the world . They are the first probes to explore space One Tough Job ...... 4 It also includes sounds from nature . beyond our solar system . In August 2012, Planning ...... 6 Voyager left our solar system and began The outside of the record has a map this new journey . The Main Task ...... 8 showing Earth’s location in the universe . Voyager 2 launches from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 20, Jupiter ...... 9 1977. A Titan/Centaur rocket carries it into space. Aliens could use it to find Earth, but that Interstellar space One Tough Job probably won’t happen anytime soon . Bubble of strong Saturn ...... 10 solar wind coming Voyager 1 won’t come close to another Our sun from our sun Uranus ...... 11 When the two Voyager spacecraft star for at least Voyager 1 launched in 1977, they had a tough job Larger Neptune ...... 12 bubble of mission explore forty thousand weak solar ahead . Their was to years! wind that The Golden Record ...... 13 Jupiter and Saturn, two giant planets trails behind Voyager 2 our sun The Final Task ...... 14 in the outer solar system . Their journey Orbit of Neptune, would be long and difficult . If something the farthest planet Conclusion ...... 15 Famous American astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan from our sun broke, the space probes would just have led the committee that chose what to include on each Golden Record. Glossary ...... 16 to make do with what they had .

Voyagers in Space • Level P 13 14 Voyagers in Space • Level P 3 4 The Golden Record The First Messages to Aliens Gathering information is only part of the The Golden Record isn’t the first message humans have sent into space. Pioneer 10 and 11 are the only other Voyagers’ mission . They are also carrying human-made objects currently headed out of the solar information out of the solar system . It’s a system. Each carries a metal plaque showing drawings of a man, a woman, and Earth’s position in the universe. message to non-Earth life forms, or aliens .

The message is on a twelve-inch “Golden The Final Task Record” on the side of each spacecraft . Now that the Voyagers have finished Table of Contents The record includes music, art, and exploring planets, they have a new job . One Tough Job ...... 4 spoken greetings from around the world . They are the first probes to explore space It also includes sounds from nature . Planning ...... 6 beyond our solar system . In August 2012, Voyager left our solar system and began The outside of the record has a map The Main Task ...... 8 this new journey . Voyager 2 launches from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 20, showing Earth’s location in the universe . Jupiter ...... 9 1977. A Titan/Centaur rocket carries it into space. Aliens could use it to find Earth, but that One Tough Job Interstellar space Saturn ...... 10 probably won’t happen anytime soon . Bubble of strong solar wind coming Uranus ...... 11 When the two Voyager spacecraft Voyager 1 won’t come close to another Our sun from our sun launched in 1977, they had a tough job star for at least Voyager 1 Neptune ...... 12 Larger mission explore bubble of ahead . Their was to forty thousand weak solar The Golden Record ...... 13 Jupiter and Saturn, two giant planets years! wind that trails behind The Final Task ...... 14 in the outer solar system . Their journey Voyager 2 our sun would be long and difficult . If something Orbit of Neptune, Conclusion ...... 15 the farthest planet Famous American astronomer Dr. Carl Sagan broke, the space probes would just have from our sun led the committee that chose what to Glossary ...... 16 to make do with what they had . include on each Golden Record.

Voyagers in Space • Level P 3 4 Voyagers in Space • Level P 13 14 Gravity Assist Uranus Scientists built the Voyagers to be tough . Gain speed Lose speed Their computers were set up to deal After its Saturn flyby Voyager 1 headed with problems that might happen . Those toward deep space . However, Voyager 2 computers would be toys by today’s Jupiter’s orbit Jupiter continued toward Uranus . All its around the Sun standards, though . They are thousands instruments were still working, so of times less powerful than a modern NASA decided to keep going . A planet’s gravity can “bend” the cell phone! direction a spacecraft is traveling and change its speed. Passing just ahead of a Voyager No one knew spacecraft Scientists guessed that the Voyagers planet will slow down a spacecraft, while what to expect passing just behind it will speed it up. would only last about five years . More from Uranus . This than thirty-five years later, the twin Planning strange-looking spacecraft are still sending information planet is tipped on The Voyager launches were carefully back to Earth . its side . Voyager 2 timed . In the late 1970s, the four outer passed the planet planets’ orbits placed them in a nearly Can You Hear Me Now? in January 1986 . It straight line . With the planets so close Methane gas in Neptune’s atmosphere gives the planet its deep blue color. As of 2014, Voyager 1 is about discovered that twelve billion miles away. It uses together, it became possible to visit Neptune Uranus’s sideways a 22.4-watt transmitter that’s as several of them during the same trip . position twists When the Uranus flyby went well, strong as a refrigerator lightbulb to communicate with Earth. Signals take Unfortunately, the rockets that launched its magnetic field NASA sent Voyager 2 to Neptune as well . The rings around Uranus clearly show about seventeen hours to arrive. By that the Voyagers into space could only get into a corkscrew how the planet is tipped on its side. It reached the planet in August of 1989 . time, they’ve faded to about 0.2 billion- them to Jupiter—about halfway to “tail” following the planet . Until then, There, it discovered five new moons . billionths (.00000000000000000002) of a watt. NASA’s Deep Space Network A giant satellite dish Saturn . Scientists solved that problem by scientists didn’t even know Uranus had Then, like Voyager 1, Voyager 2 began uses 70-meter (230 ft.) dish antennas in Australia makes up using Jupiter’s strong gravity to give the a magnetic field! around the globe to catch the faint signal. part of NASA’s Deep its journey toward deep space . Space Network. spacecraft a boost as it passed by .

Voyagers in Space • Level P 11 12 Voyagers in Space • Level P 5 6 Gravity Assist Scientists built the Voyagers to be tough . Gain speed Lose speed Uranus Their computers were set up to deal After its Saturn flyby Voyager 1 headed with problems that might happen . Those toward deep space . However, Voyager 2 computers would be toys by today’s Jupiter’s orbit Jupiter around the Sun continued toward Uranus . All its standards, though . They are thousands instruments were still working, so of times less powerful than a modern A planet’s gravity can “bend” the NASA decided to keep going . cell phone! direction a spacecraft is traveling and change its speed. Passing just ahead of a Voyager spacecraft No one knew Scientists guessed that the Voyagers planet will slow down a spacecraft, while passing just behind it will speed it up. what to expect would only last about five years . More from Uranus . This than thirty-five years later, the twin Planning strange-looking spacecraft are still sending information The Voyager launches were carefully planet is tipped on back to Earth . timed . In the late 1970s, the four outer its side . Voyager 2 planets’ orbits placed them in a nearly passed the planet Can You Hear Me Now? straight line . With the planets so close in January 1986 . It As of 2014, Voyager 1 is about Methane gas in Neptune’s atmosphere gives the planet its deep blue color. twelve billion miles away. It uses together, it became possible to visit discovered that Neptune a 22.4-watt transmitter that’s as several of them during the same trip . Uranus’s sideways strong as a refrigerator lightbulb to position twists When the Uranus flyby went well, communicate with Earth. Signals take Unfortunately, the rockets that launched its magnetic field NASA sent Voyager 2 to Neptune as well . about seventeen hours to arrive. By that the Voyagers into space could only get The rings around Uranus clearly show time, they’ve faded to about 0.2 billion- into a corkscrew how the planet is tipped on its side. It reached the planet in August of 1989 . them to Jupiter—about halfway to billionths (.00000000000000000002) “tail” following the planet . Until then, There, it discovered five new moons . of a watt. NASA’s Deep Space Network A giant satellite dish Saturn . Scientists solved that problem by scientists didn’t even know Uranus had uses 70-meter (230 ft.) dish antennas in Australia makes up using Jupiter’s strong gravity to give the Then, like Voyager 1, Voyager 2 began around the globe to catch the faint signal. part of NASA’s Deep a magnetic field! Space Network. spacecraft a boost as it passed by . its journey toward deep space .

Voyagers in Space • Level P 5 6 Voyagers in Space • Level P 11 12 Voyager 2 What’s on Board? Jupiter Saturn Voyager 1 Electromagnetic sensors Plasma sensor The Voyagers’ first target was Jupiter, the The Voyagers’ Neptune Aug. 25, 1989 TV cameras solar system’s largest planet . Humans discoveries Saturn has the largest had already studied Jupiter through continued system of rings of any Uranus Cosmic ray Low-energy charged planet in our solar Jan. 24, 1986 sensor particle sensor telescopes, but the Voyagers sent back when they system. Voyager 2 new information . They showed that the reached Saturn Launch The Sun Saturn Low-gain antenna Great Red Spot was a huge, constantly nine months Aug. 20, 1977 Aug. 25, 1981 spinning storm . They Saturn apart, in 1980 Voyager 1 Nov. 12, 1980 Launch discovered a faint and 1981 . High-gain antenna Power supply Sept. 5, 1977 Jupiter ring surrounding Close-up pictures July 9, 1979 Jupiter Jupiter, like the showed new rings Mar. 5, 1979 Golden Boom for record ones around that could not be measuring magnetic fields Saturn . They seen from Earth around Radio antenna also found the solar system’s second-largest ice sheets planet . A Rare Opportunity Great Red Spot on one of The arrangement of planets when the Voyagers launched The Main Task Saturn’s moons were surprising as well . was a very rare event. To understand why, imagine a clock with Jupiter’s hands showing the hours, minutes, and seconds. Each hand At first, the Voyagers’ mission was to study Several small moons act like “shepherds” moons and circles the clock face at a different rate: once a minute, once an Jupiter and Saturn, their larger moons, for the ice and dust around Saturn, hour, or once every twelve hours. Any time one hand passes volcanoes on another, the two line up. However, all three align much less and Saturn’s rings . The spacecraft carried keeping them in separate rings . The another . often. cameras and scientific instruments . Using Voyagers also made the shocking The planets’ orbits take much longer than the clock hands’ these instruments, the Voyagers collected discovery that Saturn’s largest moon, trips around, so they line up even less often. The four planets’ arrangement during the Voyager missions happens only once information that changed how we Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun Titan, had an atmosphere . every 175 years! and the first of the outer planets. understand our solar system .

Voyagers in Space • Level P 9 10 Voyagers in Space • Level P 7 8 Voyager 2 What’s on Board? Voyager 1 Electromagnetic Jupiter Saturn sensors Plasma sensor Neptune The Voyagers’ first target was Jupiter, the The Voyagers’ Aug. 25, 1989 TV cameras solar system’s largest planet . Humans discoveries Saturn has the largest Uranus Cosmic ray Low-energy charged had already studied Jupiter through continued system of rings of any Jan. 24, 1986 sensor particle sensor planet in our solar telescopes, but the Voyagers sent back when they system. Voyager 2 new information . They showed that the Launch The Sun Saturn Low-gain antenna reached Saturn Aug. 20, 1977 Aug. 25, 1981 Great Red Spot was a huge, constantly nine months Saturn spinning storm . They Voyager 1 Nov. 12, 1980 apart, in 1980 Launch High-gain antenna Power supply discovered a faint and 1981 . Sept. 5, 1977 Jupiter July 9, 1979 ring surrounding Close-up pictures Jupiter Mar. 5, 1979 Golden Jupiter, like the showed new rings Boom for record measuring ones around that could not be magnetic fields Radio antenna Saturn . They seen from Earth around also found the solar system’s second-largest A Rare Opportunity ice sheets planet . Great Red Spot The arrangement of planets when the Voyagers launched The Main Task on one of was a very rare event. To understand why, imagine a clock with Saturn’s moons were surprising as well . hands showing the hours, minutes, and seconds. Each hand At first, the Voyagers’ mission was to study Jupiter’s Several small moons act like “shepherds” circles the clock face at a different rate: once a minute, once an Jupiter and Saturn, their larger moons, moons and hour, or once every twelve hours. Any time one hand passes for the ice and dust around Saturn, another, the two line up. However, all three align much less and Saturn’s rings . The spacecraft carried volcanoes on keeping them in separate rings . The often. cameras and scientific instruments . Using another . Voyagers also made the shocking The planets’ orbits take much longer than the clock hands’ these instruments, the Voyagers collected trips around, so they line up even less often. The four planets’ discovery that Saturn’s largest moon, arrangement during the Voyager missions happens only once information that changed how we every 175 years! Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun Titan, had an atmosphere . understand our solar system . and the first of the outer planets.

Voyagers in Space • Level P 7 8 Voyagers in Space • Level P 9 10