Voyager and pioneer spacecraft not in correct position

[ZackG]

This has been bothering me since I first visited them, is that these spacecraft are not in the correct positions in the sky in relation to earth. I would suggest placing them in their correct positions starting with the Voyagers
Voyager 1 is in Ophiuchus and Voyager 2 in Pavo

https://theskylive.com/voyager1-tracker
https://theskylive.com/voyager2-tracker

the Pioneer probes which Pioneer 10 is at Taurus
https://theskylive.com/pioneer10-tracker

and Pioneer 11 at Scutum
https://theskylive.com/pioneer11-tracker


I tried to see where they would be in the 3300s in Starry Night pro Plus but there was no data for those time frames. but from what I can see, I suspect that they be probably be at the same constellations or at the next one.

Thanks

 

[Para Handy]

I would have thought with the astronomy expertise on staff at F D that the positions would have been accurately predicted.

BTW - I don't remember the FSS / FSA producing the Pioneers - only the Voyagers and New Horizons - did I really miss 2 "ancient probes" on my tour there?

 

[M00ka]

Maybe they got bumped off course due to all the tourists dropping in to take a selfie with the historic probes

 

[varonica]

This has actually been discussed previously, the predicted location of the probes was calculated by NASA in conjunction with FDEV. There's a lot a things that affect the location against the background, not the least being our solar system own motion through the galaxy that would make the course of the probes curve over time and place them in a different part of the sky to where we are used to them being.

By mapping Voyager 1's real-life trajectory in game and extrapolating it to account for the distance it traveled over a thousand years (Elite Dangerous is set during the year 3303), Mars was able to determine its new location nearly 2 million light seconds from Earth. Their video, demonstrating how to find the probe, highlights the fundamental authenticity that ties Elite Dangerous and our own galaxy together. It's brilliant.

https://www.pcgamer.com/how-two-eli...-to-let-them-see-its-revolutionary-telescope/

The probes were originally found in game by following their predicted trajectory in space, if they were in the wrong place then this technique wouldn't have worked. But as I said, it's been discussed previously so I am not going to go into details here.

 

[ZackG]

That maybe so. but we dont know what their positions will be in 1300 years

 

[Speedcuffs]

Oops.

 

[varonica]

That maybe so. but we dont know what their positions will be in 1300 years

They are unpowered, we have a pretty good idea of all the forces affecting them, they are basically just unpowered projectiles and we have been able to work out courses for unpowered projectiles just about forever, so barring unforseen events like being moved around by collisions and dragged out of place by thoughtless tourists, yes we do!

 

[Dommarraa]

The probes were originally found in game by following their predicted trajectory in space, if they were in the wrong place then this technique wouldn't have worked. But as I said, it's been discussed previously so I am not going to go into details here.

No they werent. They were visible USS if you happened to point at them (were not on the Nav Panel)
They may be been rediscovered in that way after they removed that functionality, but not originally. People knew the approximate direction by then, so probably not.