NASA's Voyager 1 is about to reach one light-day from Earth
Voyager 1, launched in 1977, is about to reach one light-day from Earth, the distance light travels in 24 hours, about 16.1 billion miles. NASA puts the moment at Nov. 18, 2026; NASA's JPL says commands and replies will then take a day each way. Voyager 1 has been the farthest human-made object since February 1998.
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Why it matters
A light-day is the distance light travels in 24 hours, about 16.1 billion miles. At that distance, NASA's JPL says a command to Voyager 1 takes a day to arrive and its reply another day to come back. Voyager 1 launched in 1977 and has been the farthest human-made object since February 1998.
What to watch
NASA puts the one-light-day moment at November 18, 2026; some outlets give slightly earlier November dates.
Sources
- NASA Science: November's Night Sky Notes: Light-Day Away
- BBC Sky at Night Magazine: NASA's Voyager 1 is about to reach 1 light-day from Earth
- ScienceDaily (NASA JPL): Voyager 1 is about to reach a historic one-light-day milestone
- EarthSky: Voyager 1 to reach 1 light-day from Earth on November 18
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