According to the Hvězdárna Brno, Voyager 1 will reach a distance of 25,902,068,356 kilometers from Earth—equivalent to one light-day—on Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at 11 hours, 16 minutes, and 7 seconds. The milestone highlights the ongoing journey of the spacecraft carrying a copper-and-gold golden record featuring greetings in 55 languages, including a Czech message recorded in July 1977 by nuclear physicist Václav Otakar Kostroun.
The 1977 Cornell University Recording
According to the Hvězdárna Brno, Kostroun was working at Cornell University in the United States when a colleague telephoned him in July 1977 to request a greeting for space in Czech. The scientist had just five minutes to devise the message while walking between his laboratory and the recording room. Kostroun, who relocated to a senior living community in Boulder, Colorado, told the Brno astronomers who tracked him down that he would leave the sentence unchanged even if given more time to alter it.
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Project leaders considered asking the United Nations for official statements, but worried that lengthy political remarks would not fit on the limited space of the golden record, according to Hvězdárna Brno.
Tracking Down the Nuclear Physicist
According to Novinky and the Hvězdárna Brno, locating the retired nuclear physicist proved straightforward because he maintained an active university service email. Brno planetarium director Jiří Dušek stated that researchers simply sent a test message and received a rapid response. What was expected to be a one-hour visit turned into an eleven-hour discussion detailing the historic recording process.
The Grand Tour Alignment of 1977
According to astronomical records cited by Hvězdárna Brno, space missions in 1977 capitalized on a rare planetary alignment of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune that occurs once every 175 years. Gravity assists from these planets accelerated Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, enabling them to escape the gravitational pull of the Sun and exit the solar system. While most instruments are now deactivated, the 32-centimeter golden records created under the direction of Carl Sagan remain intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the golden records last in space?
According to Hvězdárna Brno, the estimated lifespan of the copper-and-gold discs is up to one billion years.
What is included on the Voyager golden records?
According to project documentation, each record includes greetings in 55 languages, a playback needle, natural sounds like surf and heartbeats, and music.
Where is Voyager 1 currently located?
According to Hvězdárna Brno calculations, Voyager 1 will reach a distance of one light-day—precisely 25,902,068,356 kilometers from Earth—in November 2026.
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