In 1977 we launched Voyager 1. On November 18, 2026, it reaches one light-day from Earth, after 49 years of travel at about 61,000 km/h.

And it’s still nowhere.

Nearest star: Proxima Centauri, about 1,550 light-days away

Nearest big galaxy: Andromeda, about 2.5 million light-years away

Our fastest, farthest machine has barely left the driveway. We are a very long way from anything.

*My disclaimer: I calculated none of this. Everything here was gathered. Thought inspired by the article below. *

https://www.reuters.com/science/nasas-voyager-1-probe-poised-achieve-mega-distance-milestone-2026-11-14/

  • it_depends_manEnglish
    12·
    9 hours ago

    assuming they bothered with astronomy at all.

    It would probably come after the invention of radio. If you can send, and receive and there is a big void all around you, and you have learned that just because you can’t see something doesn’t mean it’s not there, you’d point a receiver somewhere random eventually.

    • copingwithelmonsEnglish
      3·
      1 hour ago

      I wonder if they’d be able to travel with ease. Stars were important for navigation premodern history yeah?

    • sparkyshocks@lemmy.zipEnglish
      12·
      3 hours ago

      It’s weird to think about a civilization discovering the stars after discovering the cosmic background radiation interfering with some of their most sensitive equipment.

    • DuamerthraxEnglish
      6·
      2 hours ago

      They flew out of the cloud.

      They saw the staggering jewels of the night in their infinite dust and their minds sang with fear.

      For a while they flew on, motionless against the starry sweep of the Galaxy, itself motionless against the infinite sweep of the Universe. And then they turned round.

      ‘It’ll have to go,’ the men of Krikkit said as they headed back for home.

      On the way back they sang a number of tuneful and reflective songs on the subjects of peace, justice, morality, culture, sport, family life and the obliteration of all other life forms.