Voyager 1 and 2 and The Golden Record That’s Aboard
The Golden Records Aboard The Voyagers
What?!?!
The record itself.
Yes, it’s true! When NASA launched the Voyager 1 and 2 in 1977 they attached a golden record on the side of each craft. The records contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form, or for future humans, who may find them. Since the spacecraft could last billions of years, these circular time capsules could one day be the only traces of human civilization. I came upon this amazing information after watching a Netflix special. Here’s the link!
Carl Sagan noted that “The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced space-faring civilizations in interstellar space, but the launching of this ‘bottle’ into the cosmic ‘ocean’ says something very hopeful about life on this planet.”
record cover
The Voyager spacecraft showcasing where the Golden Record is mounted. Credit: NASA/JPLSay
Tell me more!
There was only 2 hours of information they were able to add on the record, and 90 mins of it is music from all around the world! The record took almost a year to complete. It comes with picture instructions, as seen above, in hopes that whoever finds it can play and receive the information added. The Voyager message is carried by a phonograph record, a 12-inch gold-plated copper disk.
No copies were made at the time of production. Even Carl Sagan, who led the record’s production, couldn’t get a copy. When Sagan wrote NASA in 1978 asking if he could receive one as a keepsake, the agency’s administrator sent back an apologetic message saying no. In 1992 they finally made a cd-rom of the material that was on the record. About 2 years ago they uploaded the sounds of nature without the music on SoundCloud. Today, the Golden Record is now on vinyl, and can be ordered online for $98. Luckily, I found it on YouTube, and I attached the video below. You’re welcome!
The contents of the record were selected for NASA by a committee chaired by Carl Sagan of Cornell University, Dr. Sagan and his associates assembled 115 images and a variety of natural sounds. To this they added musical selections from different cultures and eras, and spoken greetings from Earth-people in fifty-five languages, and printed messages from President Carter and U.N. Secretary General Waldheim. (Click on “115 images” for a direct link to see for yourself!)
The Golden Record cover shown with its extraterrestrial instructions. Credit: NASA/JPL
“The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced space-faring civilizations in interstellar space.” – Carl Sagan
Preparation for the record’s packaging before the launch of Voyager 2
Sounds of Earth
The following is a listing of sounds electronically placed on board the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft.
Music of The Spheres, Volcanoes, Earthquake, Thunder
Mud Pots, Wind, Rain, Surf
Crickets, Frogs, Birds, Hyena, Elephant, Chimpanzee, Wild Dog
Footsteps, Heartbeat, Laughter, Fire, Speech, The First Tools,
Tame Dog, Herding Sheep, Blacksmith, Sawing, Tractor, Riveter
The Voyager Planetary Mission. The twin spacecraft Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched by NASA in separate months in the summer of 1977 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. As originally designed, the Voyagers were to conduct closeup studies of Jupiter and Saturn, Saturn’s rings, and the larger moons of the two planets, in which they were successful!!
Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune in photos taken by the Voyager spacecraft. Photo: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Where are the Voyagers now?
Voyager 1 entered interstellar space in August 2012, nearly 35 years after blasting off. As it leaves our solar system behind, the robotic spacecraft is streaking toward an encounter with a star called AC +79 3888, which lies 17.6 light-years from Earth and Voyager 2 is currently in the “Heliosheath” which is the outermost layer of the heliosphere where the solar wind is slowed by the pressure of interstellar gas.
Voyagers 1 and 2, humanity’s farthest and longest-lived spacecraft, left Earth in 1977 and continue to send back data to this very day.
Eyes On Voyager
In this interactive visualization, you can ride along with the Voyager spacecraft in real-time at any time during the entire mission. For example, watch all of the historic first encounters, like Voyager 2 arriving at Neptune, or go to the moment Voyager 1 left our solar system behind to enter the vast region of interstellar space in 2012. Learn about all the instruments, check out the gallery of some of Voyager’s most amazing pictures, or watch the amazing video of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot! All of this and more is waiting to be explored, just download and install the app, and you’re on your way! Just click the link!
Last but not least, the most important info of it all…
Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F. First Movement, Munich Bach Orchestra, Karl Richter, conductor. 4:40
Bach, 1685-1750 A.D.
Java, court gamelan, “Kinds of Flowers,” recorded by Robert Brown. 4:43
Senegal, percussion, recorded by Charles Duvelle. 2:08
Zaire, Pygmy girls’ initiation song, recorded by Colin Turnbull. 0:56
Australia, Aborigine songs, “Morning Star” and “Devil Bird,” recorded by Sandra LeBrun Holmes. 1:26
Mexico, “El Cascabel,” performed by Lorenzo Barcelata and the Mariachi México. 3:14
Chuck Berry, 1926-2017 A.D.
“Johnny B. Goode,” written and performed by Chuck Berry. 2:38
New Guinea, men’s house song, recorded by Robert MacLennan. 1:20
Japan, shakuhachi, “Tsuru No Sugomori” (“Crane’s Nest,”) performed by Goro Yamaguchi. 4:51
Bach, “Gavotte en rondeaux” from the Partita No. 3 in E major for Violin, performed by Arthur Grumiaux. 2:55
Mozart, The Magic Flute, Queen of the Night aria, no. 14. Edda Moser, soprano. Bavarian State Opera, Munich, Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor. 2:55
Georgian S.S.R., chorus, “Tchakrulo,” collected by Radio Moscow. 2:18
Peru, panpipes and drum, collected by Casa de la Cultura, Lima. 0:52
“Melancholy Blues,” performed by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven. 3:05
Azerbaijan S.S.R., bagpipes, recorded by Radio Moscow. 2:30
Stravinsky, Rite of Spring, Sacrificial Dance, Columbia Symphony Orchestra, Igor Stravinsky, conductor. 4:35
Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2, Prelude and Fugue in C, No.1. Glenn Gould, piano. 4:48
Beethoven, Fifth Symphony, First Movement, the Philharmonia Orchestra, Otto Klemperer, conductor. 7:20
Beethoven, 1770-1827 A.D.
Bulgaria, “Izlel je Delyo Hagdutin,” sung by Valya Balkanska. 4:59
Navajo Indians, Night Chant, recorded by Willard Rhodes. 0:57
Holborne, Paueans, Galliards, Almains and Other Short Aeirs, “The Fairie Round,” performed by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London. 1:17
Solomon Islands, panpipes, collected by the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Service. 1:12
Peru, wedding song, recorded by John Cohen. 0:38
China, ch’in, “Flowing Streams,” performed by Kuan P’ing-hu. 7:37
India, raga, “Jaat Kahan Ho,” sung by Surshri Kesar Bai Kerkar. 3:30
“Dark Was the Night,” written and performed by Blind Willie Johnson. 3:15
Beethoven, String Quartet No. 13 in B flat, Opus 130, Cavatina, performed by Budapest String Quartet. 6:37
Wojies Final Thoughts
I was completely blown away of the idea of this and so I decided to share. This just shows how much music is of most importance to humans. How amazing would that be if it was your music or voice added on a piece of history like that? That would definitely be one hell of an opportunity! Space and astronomy has always been a favorite subject of mine as well, so don’t mind the nerd in me! 🙂 I do believe there is intelligent life out there, but i feel as if we will never find them in our lifetime. Hopefully I’m wrong! If the record does find them, I hope they figure out the instructions provided and enjoy! By all means, watch the Netflix special yourself, or research the links below! Tell me what you think in the comments!
