Submitted by stealth941 t3_10f735i in askscience
Karontu t1_j4wnbf8 wrote
Reply to comment by Weed_O_Whirler in Whats stopping us from sending a probe into a black hole if we haven't already? by stealth941
How is it slowing down? Is it intentional? I have always been told that in the vacuum of space once something is on a trajectory it will continue indefinitely unless something interrupts it.
Weed_O_Whirler t1_j4wo3n3 wrote
The Sun's gravity is always tugging on it.
Karontu t1_j4wpb4p wrote
That makes sense and yet I've never considered it. Thank you for answering!
[deleted] t1_j4yn02c wrote
[removed]
-YellsAtClouds- t1_j511sis wrote
Huh. So do you know if it will eventually slow all the way down, stop, and start returning towards the sun? Or will some other gravity source capture it before then?
Weed_O_Whirler t1_j512ikh wrote
The voyager spacecraft are well above the Solar escape velocity so they will be traveling on out of here.
-YellsAtClouds- t1_j5161mc wrote
Nice. Thanks.
starmartyr t1_j5cj65o wrote
As it moves further away the rate of deceleration decreases. It will never stop even given infinite time.
[deleted] t1_j4zvg5z wrote
[removed]
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments