This artist's rendering depicts NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft as it studies the outer limits of the heliosphere-a magnetic 'bubble' around the solar system that is created by the solar wind. The magnetic bubble is not spherical, but pressed inward in the southern hemisphere, according to recent data published as part of a series of papers.
This artist’s rendering depicts NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft as it studies the outer limits of the heliosphere-a magnetic ‘bubble’ around the solar system that is created by the solar wind.
The magnetic bubble is not spherical, but pressed inward in the southern hemisphere, according to recent data published as part of a series of papers in the July 3, 2008 issue of Nature. These findings help build a picture of how the sun interacts with the surrounding interstellar medium.
The twin Voyager spacecraft were launched in August and September 1977, respectively.Image Credit: NASA