Interstellar space graphicCourtesy NASAVoyager 1, an unmanned NASA space probe is nearing the outer edge of our solar system and will soon enter the vast, unknown region known as interstellar space. The crossover will remove the spacecraft from the influence of solar winds (from our Sun), into a relatively empty expanse of cold space influenced mostly by countering pressures created by supernovae, collapsed stars that died in immense catastrophic explosions. Voyager 1's primary mission, when it was launched 34 years ago on September 5, 1977, was to visit and photograph the giant gas planets in our solar system. It accomplished that goal and sent back spectacular images of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Right now Voyager 1 is about 11 billion miles from the sun, its cameras switched off, and poised for the next stage of its journey. The edge of the heliosphere is estimated to be somewhere between 10-14 billion miles from the Sun, so the probe could crossover anytime soon. NASA's Voyager program included two probes sent out with data gathering instruments and cultural souvenirs from the inhabitants of planet Earth, just in case they somehow got intercepted by some extraterrestrial lifeforms. Voyager 2, although launched two weeks before , trails some 2 billion miles behind Voyager 1, and will cross the boundary after its twin. You can read (and hear) more about it at the NPR website.

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