General / Off-Topic Voyager 1 & 2 just caught heading BACK to Earth? What?

[AluminumAlloy]

If you go to these websites showing live information about Voyager 1 and 2, the numbers showing the distance from Earth aren't increasing.

They're decreasing.

http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/

https://theskylive.com/voyager1-tracker

Has anyone even noticed this? What's even more strange is that they're travelling further away from the sun, but while at the same time travelling closer to Earth.

 

[Kosmetas]

Mind blown! :S

 

[Codger]

From that site, at the bottom:

" Note: Because Earth moves around the sun faster than Voyager 2 is traveling from Earth, the distance between Earth and the spacecraft actually decreases at certain times of the year. "

 

[afreeflyingsoul]

If you go to these websites showing live information about Voyager 1 and 2, the numbers showing the distance from Earth aren't increasing.

They're decreasing.

http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/where/

https://theskylive.com/voyager1-tracker

Has anyone even noticed this? What's even more strange is that they're travelling further away from the sun, but while at the same time travelling closer to Earth.

It's the orbit of the earth

 

[AluminumAlloy]

From that site, at the bottom:

" Note: Because Earth moves around the sun faster than Voyager 2 is traveling from Earth, the distance between Earth and the spacecraft actually decreases at certain times of the year. "

Damn! Silly me! I thought they were found and started being transported back by

 

[Zeeman]

Because Earth orbits the Sun, it's not stationary...

Edit - whoops, ninja'd many times. Serves me right for clicking "reply", then eating before I post...
Z...

 

[metatheurgist]

From that site, at the bottom:

" Note: Because Earth moves around the sun faster than Voyager 2 is traveling from Earth, the distance between Earth and the spacecraft actually decreases at certain times of the year. "

Fake news. No matter how many of these alternates facts you offer I will firmly believe that the Earth is the center of the universe.

 

[Aereon Theed]

Spoiler

 

[Cheapchips]

Poor voyagers. The two steps forward, one step back progression of their journey must be terribly demotivating.

 

[Sir.Tj]

They probably left the Gas on...

 

[Aereon Theed]

They probably left the Gas on...

What does this translate too? Mach 12127158.62?

Anyone know the actual speed and not the distance? Then I can calculate the mach speed.

NM Found it.

Voyager 1 is travelling at Mach 36 - or 36 times the speed of sound.

Voyager 2 is travelling at Mach 34.

 

[Patrick_68000]

In any case, the numbers are vertiginous. Thanks for the link